Saving The Future
by SkySorrow
Summary: Before Elphaba defied wizard, a strange and mysterious spirit vanishes them and the other characters from the musical into her lair to force them to watch Wicked in an attempt to change for the future for the better. How will they react as secrets are revealed, hearts are broken and betrayals are made and will opinions of the emerald skinned woman being to change?
1. Kidnapping

**This has always been one of my favourite types of stories but I notice not many people actually do them. I've found only one so far for this musical so far so I've decided that it's time for change that. I've never woven tale from a musical back ground before so you may have to bare-with me and correct me along the way. I claim not credit for any on the music or characters mentioned, all right to their respective owners. Hopefully you'll enjoy. SS **

**Chapter one – **

The sun bore down through the stain glass window of the library leaving swirling, flickering patterns on the dusty floor. All was quiet, except for the muffled shuffle of the head librarian's shoes as she hobble along down the aisles, the speak of wheels and rattle of the book cart she pushed in front on her and the gentle rustle of a page being turned over a slim emerald hand in the far corner of the gigantic room. An ebony curl fell down across her face as she turned her head and stretched into a more comfortable position sat in the hard arm chair, nestled between a huge floor to ceiling bookshelf and the window. The silence lasted for a moment more, before…**THUD! **

The library door swung open with surprising force by the lithe figure the stormed thorough them, creating such a racket that the librarian nearly fell over in surprise. "**Elphieeeeeee!**" A high pitched squeal ran around the empty space causing the person hidden among the walls of books to cringe at the volume of the call. She estimated that if she was lucky she had approximately fifteen minutes before her blond friend could get all the from the entrance to her favorite hiding spot that she'd caught her in every time previously.

Sighing her quickly finished the last chapter of the book in her hands before closing her book marker in it and placing in it her bag. It turns out her timing had been exactly right. No sooner had she stood, placed her bag back onto her shoulder and stretched, working the kinks out of her back, she saw a familiar flash of gold hair and pink fabric round the corner and race towards her. She barely had time to grab a hold of the shelf in time to steady herself before she was nearly knocked over in a bone crushing hug as well as defended by the high pitched shrieks that came from the petite blond that she was pretty sure was currently squeezing the life out of her.

"Umm…Glin?" She finally managed to croak out. "Hmm?" Came the reply. "Do you think you could let go of me now? I'm beginning to have a little trouble breathing." The perky blond released her immediately. "Opss, sorry!" A relieved breathe escaped the green girls lips while her roommate straightened out her dress that had begun ridding further up her body and become slightly crumpled during her journey up the stairs. Both girls paused to look one another up and down. Elphaba noticed the tear stain decorating her friend's cheeks, more visible there in the slightly dimmed light that it would be outside in the bright daylight, the slightly smudged eye make-up and many other little tell-tale signs that she had learned to pick up on after sharing a room with the girl for several months that she had been crying.

"Glin?" She asked gently. The blond immediately started sniveling in reply. "Galinda what's wrong?" This time she wasn't prepared for her friend to launch herself at her at grab her in yet another, arm dislocating embrace. This embarrassment lasted another full minute before Galinda finally sobbed out, "Its Fiyero! He's been acting so strange recently. He's been really quite, and distant, and moodified, and he's been thinking!"

She let go of her friend again who staggered for a moment before finding her balance again. The blond didn't notice. "We just went for lunch at the Withered Rose and he was so nervous the whole time, he wouldn't even look me in the eye! I just got so fed up with it all that as soon as it was over I came straight here to find you! I knew you be in here cus this is where you always are and… and…" She finally gave up on words and just settled for something between hiccups and sobs. Elphaba gave the other girls shoulder a gentle squeeze, ignoring the fluttering feeling in her stomach that kept up whenever Fiyero's name was mentioned. She still remembered that incident in the poppy field couple of weeks ago very well. After a couple of minutes, Galinda finally managed to get a hold of herself and stopped blubbering long enough to realize that her make-up was probably a running mess, immediately flipping out a compact mirror and tissue from her bag and started dabbing around her eyes to fix it. When she'd finally finished she breathed deeply and shared a watery smile with her friend. Elphaba offered her an arm.

"Come on then. Never mind about him, let's go and get some decent lunch before the canteen starts to get busy." The two made their way back down the stairs and across the lobby, Elphaba shooting the librarian an apologetic look over Galinda's head as they went, receiving a sympathetic one in return while the perky blond, who'd already recovered from her brief melt down, chattered on aimless beside her. Neither one of them noticed a small, slender black shape emerge from the darkest part of the shadows cast by the looming book shelves, like a rat from a drain and scuttle across the carpet behind them.

Both girls had barely gotten one foot out of the heavy wooden doors when Galinda was sent lurching forward with a surprised shriek as a tiny black blur shot out past them, bushing deliberately against her ankle as it did so, making Elphaba grab onto her friends wrist to steady her.

"Sweet Oz!" Galinda gasped, clutching her free hand to her chest as her eyes narrowed in terror. "Was that a rat!?"

Elphaba glanced ahead of them where a small black cat sat on the path a few yards away and barely had time to register the creature before it suddenly narrowed its unnaturally icy blue eyes and lunched forward , its long feathery ebony fur and slender legs growing steadily longer with each stride it took towards them.

"Get back inside!" She shouted, shoving Galinda in forward in the direction of the doors. She took a couple of stumbling steps after her, hearing the swish of the ancient doors closing quickly behind them, but just not fast enough it seemed, as the light footsteps that chased them continued to sound.

Elphaba stood in front on Galinda and spun round, magic crackling between her fingers, ready to protect her friend and herself from whatever the strange cat-like creature was, that had suddenly confronted them out of nowhere. Her already widened eyes stretched grew another centimeter further when she suddenly found her face inches away from not that of a cat, but a young girl, with impossibly pale, milky skin, silky raven curls and the same unnaturally cold, water colored eyes, glaring back at her not with malice, but a sort of guarded wariness. Before Elphaba could so much as choke out a shout, the girl drew her velvet covered arm out with the edge of her thick black cloak in hand and threw herself over the top of the two frightened girls, knocking Elphaba over in the process, wiping her cloak around them until it all three were covered and falling through the floor in a flash of shadows and then, just like that were gone, without so much as a scream.

The first thing Elphaba felt was the hot flush of pain that shot up her sides as she hit the ground, forearms skidding painfully against an unbearably cold stone floor, Galinda's petite form squirming underneath her waist, lying diagonally to her. A deafeningly high-pitched scream that could of probably shattered glass if there were any around followed almost straight away, making Elphaba's ears ring and she took a moment to shake her head to clear it despite their situation. When Galinda's kicking did not stop, she rolled off of her groggily and staggered unsteady to her feet before offering her a hand. Galinda, who had finally stopped screaming, took it and pulled herself up ungracefully, instinctively positioning herself behind her more powerful friend, glancing around the dim, chilly space nervously.

"Elphie, wh-where are we?" She shivered in her thin, pink, cotton sun dress. "I don't know." Was all she could reply with as she cautiously scanned their new environment, rattled but doing her best to mask it for Galinda's sake. Galinda turned to look at her as though she had grown a second head. "What do you mean you don't know?" She shrieked! It was very rare for her unusual friend not actually have any clue at all in any situation. Elphaba sighed. "I mean that unfortunately I'm just as lost as you are right now, my pretty." Galinda stammered dumbly. "But….but… what just happened? Where ARE we?" Elphaba resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her friends questions despite the fact she had just pointed out that she knew as much as she did, which clearly if she was asking her these things she didn't, but held back knowing that her friend was probably just as scared as she was right now.

Instead she turned to survey their surroundings. They were in a large stone corridor, with no windows, lit instead by a line of single light-bulbs that hung down from the ceiling, a few meters apart, lit slims blue candles place on little ledges sticking from the walling in between. The corridor had to be between forty to fifty yards long, ten yards across, with thick wooden doors nestled between beautifully crafted white stone arches stood proudly at either end going taking up all the space between the walls, save for a meter on each end and going all the way up, stopping just a couple of feet short of the domed ceiling which was about five meter high from its tallest point in the center.

"Well wherever we are, the decorator certainly has good taste." She joked, hoping to ease the thick build of tension ever so slightly. She was interrupted from her study by a frightened bleating that echoed down the hall, no sooner than she had finished speaking, and a shadow on the floor not far from them cast by the gap between the candles and the lights sudden rose up from the floor like a wave of an black ocean, causing the girls to throw themselves back against the closest wall, away from it. The darkness quickly turned to fabric, and the strange girl wiped her cloak out away from her body and the figure on the ground beneath, pausing momentarily to look up at the trembling girls before stepping away from her latest victim. She then spun round and carried on down the corridor as though nothing more than normal had happened, for all they knew this WAS normal for her to be kidnapping people and spiriting them away to her underground lair, wrapping her cloak back around her as she went, before dissolving into shadows again, as though she had never been there. The two frightened young women stared after her for a moment before they could finally tear their gaze away from the direction the phantom had vanished from, to the figure lying sprawled out on the cold, dusty floor before them. Elphaba gasped when she recognized her favorite ex-teacher.

"Doc-Doctor Dillamound?" The old goat looked up at her, gradually coming to his senses. "Miss Elphaba?"

Elphaba yanked her hand free from her friend and rushed over to help the goat to his feet.

"Did that strange girl take you as well?" She asked him worriedly as he swayed slightly on his hooves. It took a moment for him to reply.

"Y-yes. She did. I assume that's what happened to you two as well then, I take it?" He finally managed to find firm footing, allowing Elphaba, who nodded in reply along with Galinda, to let go of him.

They didn't have to wait long for company. In a flash on darkness, a cold breeze blew through the hall, causing the light-bulbs to sway, the candles to flicker and in that temporary pitch of blackness that appeared around the trio, the strange spirit reappeared right in between them and released her next victim, throwing him roughly at Elphaba who attempted and failed miserably to catch him, making the two of them go down in a spinning tangle of arms and legs before disappearing just as quickly.

Fiyero's dirty blond hair glowed lightly in the dimmed light as he raised himself up on his elbows, one hand rubbing the side of his temple as though he'd been hit there.

"Wha-what happened?" He asked groggily. "One minute I'm tripping over my own feet, running from Horrible in the yard, then next thing I know, I felt someone grab my shirt and I'm going head first down this creepy black hole and…."

He'd come around enough now to notice his surrounds and suddenly noticed, surprised, that he was still lead practically on top of someone. He started even more when he realized exactly WHO he was lying on top of.

"Elphaba! Oh hi, I umm…" He stuttered nervously, his face very close to her own, his mind most preoccupied with how much even pretty she seemed this close up than he remembered the last time he'd spoken to her, alone together in the poppy field after Dr. Dillamound's last class. Brown and blue eyes caught and quickly became lost in each other.

It was a moment before said goat coughed lightly into his hoof to gain their attention. It suddenly clicked in both their minds at the same moment what an intimate position they were in and in as quick as a flash, Fiyero jumped to feet, offering a hand to Elphaba, both of whom were suddenly very grateful for the dimming light that hid most of their matching blushes.

Galinda failed to notice this, as she was too busy watching as the others as the rest of the hall had begun to fill up rather rapidly with other members of their family and from their school. Dr. Dillamound visibly flinched when madam Morrible's rage filled voice boomed down the corridor.

"WHERE AM I? I DEMAND WHATEVER TERRIBLE EXCUSE FOR A SCORECERER WHO BROUGHT ME HERE TO REVEL THEMSELVES AT ONCE!"

All the other people in the space around her flinched as she screech rang in their ears. Elphaba gasped in concern when she spotted her sister Nessa perched precariously on an empty candle ledge not far off from Morrible and nearly raced over to join her until she saw a swirl of black fabric appear and deposit her father in front of a horrified Nessa, before disappearing yet again. The governor stumbled to his feet, almost tripping on the edge of his robes, his face turned purple in rage when his eyes fell upon his youngest daughter sat looking frightened at him, without the wheeled chair she'd come to depend on all her life and his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

"NESSAROSE! Oh my poor sweet child! What is Oz names are you doing in this awful place! Why aren't you in your chair? How did you get here? Where's your sister?"

Questions were spilling out of his mouth at a hundred miles an hour as he leaned in and scooped her up into his arms in one swift motion. At the last one his concerned frown quickly tuned into a seething glare and his eyes scanned the room. Elphaba could FEEL her father's eye's narrow even further when they found what they were searching for and she nearly shuddered under his intense gaze. Galinda didn't miss this either and reached out taking her friends hand, giving it a light squeeze in a silent comfort. It wasn't that Elphaba wasn't expecting it but it still made her flinch when his angry voice blasted down the hall like thunder towards her.

"ELPHABA GET OVER HERE NOW AND PROTECT! HOW DARE YOU JUST LEAVE HER HERE ON HER OWN IN SUCH A TERRIBLE PLACE! DO YOU JUST EXPECT HER TO GET UP AND WALK TO YOU HERSELF?"

Elphaba gave Galinda an apologetic smile before taking two timid steps forward when her father shouted again.

"I SAID GET OVER HERE NOW! DO YOU EXPECT YOUR SISTER TO LOOK AFTER HERSELF?"

At this, a flicker of emotion somewhere between hurt, embarrassment and indignity flash briefly across the crippled girls face in her father's arms, but was gone almost as quickly as it appeared. The governor held out his youngest child to his oldest as she took another few timid steps towards them, expecting her to take the prone girl from him, all the while continuing his loud rant in a slightly quitter voice.

"And would somebody please explain to me where I am and how and why I got here?"

"That's what I would like to know!"

Madam Morrible added coming over to stand beside him once she realized who had joined them. There had been no more fresh people appearing in the hall after the governor had been dropped off and now the large crowd of students and some of their family members stood gathered around each other awkwardly as they awaited whatever fate their captor had brought them there to face, talking nervously with each other. Galinda lit up, despite their predicament, when she spotted her own parents towards the back of the group, calling "Momise! Popsicle!" to them over everybody else's heads, waving frantically with one dainty hand.

"I think I can answer that." A calm voice called quietly over from the front of the hall.

Everyone immediately spun round, the majority leaping back and cowered slightly when they recognized the dark entity that had snatched them and brought them to this strange place. The girl stood in full view of the people before she'd taken, staring calmly at them, clearly awaiting their response to her presence. Elphaba took the opportunity to study the phantom figure more carefully. She currently had the outward appearance of a girl, no older than herself, maybe even younger, with pale white skin, long, thick, raven tresses that went all the way down her back so that the tips hung loosely behind her narrow hips, covered by her black, floor length gown, that was covered itself by her large matching cloak that hung from her small shoulder, moving ever so slightly as though blown by a light breeze, even there wasn't one inside the close doors. But it was her eyes that drew the most attention, a very mid, ocean blue, reminding her kinda of Fiyero's blue eyes, framed by and oval face and thin red lips, that quirked up at one side ever so slightly as though the owner could read her thoughts and found them rather amusing.

It was another moment before Elphaba realized that the strange girl WAS in fact looking directly at her, smiling slightly like she knew the end of some kind of joke and was holding out on telling the rest of them. Shaking of a rising blush, she tried hard not to feel like she had been caught in the act of something. Instead she took another pace back towards her father to take her sister from him when the dark girl suddenly lifted a slim hand and pointed a finger in Elphaba's direction.

"YOU can halt right there and go straight back to you friends. It won't kill HIM to do some actual caring for her for a change instead of just spoiling with expensive presents all the time."

At this comment, the governor's mouth open in protest, but a wave of the witch spare hand quickly silenced him. When Elphaba hesitated, she moved her pointing finger towards where Galinda and Fiyero were standing with Dr. Dillamound and quirked an almost none existent eyebrow at the green girl.

"Your gonna end up sitting with them anyway, might as well stay with them before hand, trust me it'll make things a lot easier in term of finding your seats as quickly as possible when we go in, in a moment. I WILL move you over there myself if I have to but I'd rather not since having to pull you all here wasn't really an easy thing to do and I'm tired, but if you won't move willingly…."

Elphaba got the message and gave a brief nod before she quickly hurried over to re-join her friends. At this point Morrible stepped forward and coughed lightly into her hand to gain their hosts attention.

"And exactly where will we be going to in a moment and may I enquirer exactly why it is that you've brought us to this place miss?"

The girls unnaturally cool eyes glanced over the teacher lightly, a light look of distain gracing her delicate features as she answered coldly.

"Of course, I'm forgetting my manners just a bit. Forgive me but I have never done this before, still I hope if it goes well, I will have the confidence and strength to do this sort of thing more often."

"You mean you're going to start kidnapping even more people and bringing them into your creepy basement to do Oz-knows what with them again!?"

Boq's frightened voice rose up from his hiding place just a few paces from Nessa and her father. His look of disbelief of quickly replaced with one of horror when he realized he'd just spoken out against her and both of his hands immediately clamped themselves over his mouth tightly. The witch on the other hand didn't seem to be the least bit offended, amused more like and beckoned him forward with one hand, point to Elphaba's group with the other. He quickly took the hint and scuttled forward to hide behind Fiyero, ignoring the look of disappointment of Nessa's face as he moved away from her.

"As I was saying," the witch continued as though nothing had occurred, "I was the one who brought you all here, because I have something very important to show you, that I think you all desperately need to see. There is a certain chain of events that is already in motion that will eventually lead to a beautifully tragic occurrence that if not altered, will become one of the greatest untold tales in Oz's history. My hope is that by showing a little bit of the past and future, including what would have happened you had been left to play out the paths you would have done, had I not intervened, you will be able to learn from your mistakes both past, present and yet to be made and act around this new knowledge I'm going to provide you with and change the future for something better."

She paused for a moment, as though considered what she was going to say next carefully before speaking.

"The story that you are about to see if centered around two of your most well-known students and if not changed will destroy both their lives as well as several of yours. This is their story of what will happen if thing continue as they are. Heed its warning well. For there WILL be several very explosive truths revealed through-out this that will change the very foundations of what you believe about the system of Oz as well as your own personal views about various people and debates currently running around Oz –"

"Yes, yes!" Morrible interrupted rudely. "We get your point, can we please just on with this, whatever it is!"

The witch sent a glare her way that could rival even some of Elphaba's best, and with a click of her fingers, a strong blast of wind suddenly blew up from the floor beneath the Morrible's feet making her fall backwards and land flat on her back with a startled screech, while several students and even a few teachers hid smiles and swallowed chuckles behind their palms or in the forms of coughs.

"May I finish?" The witch asked her with forced politeness. Morrible nodded nervously, still sat down on the cold stone floor.

"Thank you." The witch answered her sweetly, earning another round of smothered laughter from the rest of the crowd that was answered by the evil look Morrible cast around her as she stumbled back to her feet unsteadily.

"As I have said, it is of the up-most importance that you pay great attention to what I am about to show you. I cannot stress how importance it is that you learn from these events and at least try to change them when I release you once it is over."

As smirk crossed her features momentarily.

"As for me, well I go by many names, but you may know me as Sorrow. Sky Sorrow. I think my name is self-explanatory, but in case you're wondering although my name may be Sorrow, it was bestowed upon me not because it is my purpose to cause it, but rather to prevent it."

And with that she turned and strolled calmly towards the pair of thick wooden door closet to her, opening them slowly with a click of her fingers and she stepped calmly through without having to reach out a push them in the slightest. She stopped and turned back to face them, looking slightly confused.

"Well? Weren't you the ones that said you wanted to get this over with? Are you coming or not?"

And just like that the spell was broken and the large crowd made a bee line for the open doors, filling through hurriedly into the next room. Elphaba hung back as the others went on through, falling into step instead beside the Sorrow, still slightly afraid of the witch but also partly in awe of her control over her powers.

"So this what? Story? Prediction? You're showing us, does it have a name?"

The dark witch smiled friendly at the emerald one before answering.

"Kinda of both but yes it does."

She hung on for a moment much to Elphaba's annoyance, clearly enjoying the other girl's impatience. Finally she finished. She spoke very quietly, so much so that Elphaba had to strain to hear her. It sounded like, "Wicked", but it was said in such a low voice that she couldn't be sure.

When they got to the room, Elphaba was surprised to find that everyone else was already seated in deep red leather arm chairs, her father with Morrible in the last row of the back, save for several odd seats placed in a short row on their own on a slightly raised platform at the very back of the room. The decor of the room was much like the hall, excluding that it was obviously much larger, and square in shape. Elphaba spotted Galinda waving to her one of the risen seats, third to the end, sat with Fiyero next to her, Boq on the other Side with Nessa next to him on the other end of the selected row. She began to make her own way over to join her friend's, Sorrow following at her own pace behind her, when she saw the other witch stop behind Morrible's seat and lean forward to tell her quietly, "And just so you know, it will be pointless going straight to your powerful friend when this over because I will be bringing him in to join us after the first few scenes anyway so you can both be here when your true natures are revealed."

Morrible paled at this as Sorrow straightened up looking rather smug and continued towards Elphaba. She made a shooing gesture toward her in the direction of the seats before she could question her and after a moment's pause, she considered it best not to argue.

Sorrow paused, stood by her seat at the end next, to Elphaba, as though a sudden thought had occurred to her. "I just want to bring one more person into join us." She announced straightening up once more. Morrible's face turned to one of barely concealed anger, but to her credit, she did not protest. Sorrow continued.

"As is obvious I have very strong magic at my advantage, though not quite as powerful as some of you are going to become," She cast a glance in Elphaba's direction as she said this, "But strong enough to do what I am needed to do anyway." A slight grin slipped across her lips for a second.

"But of course having connections to the spirit world does come in rather handy as well, known and then." The entire room gasped at this, the majority casting her with fearful glances. The governor very nearly got out of his seat to run to his daughter but refrained himself, just barely.

"Which leads me to my point. The person I am going to be bring in next is no longer among you in the land of the living, although I do believe that some of you may remember her very fondly. I shall be bring in her spirit from where she now resigns on a favor a couple of certain angles owe me for something once did for them that I shall not go into, to join us for this showing and to allow her a chance to speak to some of the people she left behind and say some things to them that she sorely needs too."

With that she began to move away lifting one arm out to her side, corner of her cloak in hand, ready to disappear again when she stopped for a moment, turning back around to face her audience with a devilish expression on her face.

"So stay put, I'll return in a moment, talk if you must but do try to keep the noise down because I have friends sleeping in the next room who don't like being woken," She drew her next sentence out slow and carefully, clearly enjoying the effect she was having on the nervous crowd, "And if anyone moves, or shouts while I'm away…..I'll know." And just like that she spun back around and was gone.

The group of people seated in the room broke into jittery murmurs among themselves, all being very careful not to brake any of the rules laid down by their strange host.

Elphaba took her time to study the seats her and her friends had found themselves in before slipping into hers next to Galinda. Their's was much the same style as the others expect for the fabric being a soft velvet and ebony black in color. She felt something scratch against her neck and reached behind her to remove the paper name tag that had been draped across the top of the chair with her name spelt on it. _Elphaba Thorpp. _Curious she turned it over and unfolded the other side of it then nearly fell out of her seat in embarrassment when she saw the name underneath it, scrunching it up quickly before anyone else saw and dropped it on the floor kicking it away from her hastily. Galinda's eye followed her movement with confusion and nearly bent forward to pick the paper up and look at it before Elphaba stopped her. "It's nothing, probably just Sorrow's idea of a joke, leave it!" She said a little too quickly. Galinda looked at little angry but didn't question it and left the paper alone where it had rolled by Fiyero's feet.

They all practically jumped out their skins when she reappeared, not through magic this time, but by walking calmly in through the doors she lead them through a moment before, closely followed by another woman, with pale, rosy skin and long bouncy chocolate colored curls in a simple white frock that fell down to her knees. The governor's mouth hung open in disbelief before he leapt to his feet and raced towards the woman, climbing over several people to get to her but paying them no heed, his eyes fixed firmly on the new-comer. "Melena!"

A couple of people who recognized the name, including Elphaba and eventually, Nessarose gasp. "The governor wife!" Why would she bring her" "She really IS a powerful witch, think she'll keep her promise to let us go after we've seen what she wants us to see?" "I hope she doesn't enchant us!" The room erupted into chaos as panic, confused and just plain astonishment conversations broke out among the crowd and it was a moment before everyone realized they were being glared at by said witch and they suddenly remembered her request to keep quite as she moved her eyes in the direction of the door behind her and not wanting to upset her, they sheepishly lowered their voices as they continued gossiping among themselves.

Elphaba stared at her long lost mother. Completely speechless, her mind whirling while Galinda just studied the new woman calmly beside her. "So that's your mother then?" She asked quietly. Elphaba just nodded simply, unable to find her voice yet. "She's pretty," Galinda commented, "You look a lot like her." Elphaba snorted at the irony of that sentence before returning to her train of thoughts.

She couldn't believe that she was looking at her MOTHER again, the one people who has ever truly loved her, even in the short few years they'd had together before she died giving birth to Nessa, the one people who had excepted her like any other, no, more than that, who had actually valued her ABOVE others! And here she was, standing just across the room from her, looking at her warmly, just as she'd used to when still alive.

The spell-bound man made to hug his lost wife and was completely unprepared for the hard slap that greeted him. He fell back onto his rear with a shout of surprise and pain, onto the cold, stone floor. He raised a hand to his cheek that was very quickly turning red and stared at his wife in bewilderment as she glared at him with such force, it suddenly left little doubt where Elphaba got her talent for such looks from. The silence that filled the room following the crowds shocked gasps was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Finally, she spoke.

"How DARE you think I'd be happy to see you after everything you've done to ours daughters since I've been gone. I agreed to come here to see them, NOT you! You are an awful man and I regret ever marrying you!"

With that, she sashayed across the room and paused beside the empty seat next to Elphaba. "Mind if I sit here?" Her question was directed at Sorrow who waved her hand absent mindedly. "Not at all, it's your daughters that you're here to see, I wasn't planning to sit anyway. Actually!" She clicked her fingers and the chair that Nessa was sat in suddenly lift into the air above her friend's heads, causing her to shriek and grip the arms tightly, before Sorrow waved her hand to the side and the chair moved across over them and gently touch the ground on the other side of her mother's.

Sorrow smiled triumphantly. "There! That's better now everyone's near who them should be." Behind her, the governor stumbled to his feet after nearly fainted when he saw Nessa's chair leave the floor.

"What about me?" He demanded in a rage. "Why aren't I seated with my family? Wasn't that the whole point of this, to allowed Melena to speak to her family?"

It was Melena who answered him. "The reason you're not with us is because I asked for you not to be, or else I wouldn't have come! The only message I have to give to you is the one i just gave you, I have nothing more to say to you."

She crossed her arms across her chest as her lost husband marched up to her. "WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME?" He demanded. He raised his hand as if to strike her, then seemed to realize that they were being watched and lowered it again. Melena didn't flinch.

"I think your influence has done enough damage to our daughters that I may not even be able to fix it but at least now I'll be able to rest easier knowing that I've tried." The jaws of everybody in the room that had not dropped yet already did so and all eye's followed the conversation happening in the back of the room eagerly.

"DAMAGE!" The governor boomed. "WHAT DAMAGE? I'VE GIVEN NESSAROSE EVERYTHING. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENSURE HER HAPPINESS AND SEEN THAT SHE IS TREATED HER LIKE THE PRINCESS SHE IS!"

Melena looked at him with open disgust. "You've spoiled her." She told him quietly. "You've been turning her rotten and if not careful you'll be her undoing. I have already seen what Sorrow is about to show and I know what your actions are leading too."

Her eyes took on a sorrowfully look as she mentioned the last par before suddenly lighting up with a fierce flame that left even her husband slightly intimidated. "And in case you didn't notice, I said it was our DAUGHTERS you're damaging, NOT daughter! We have TWO or have you forgotten that?"

The governor threw a resentful look at Elphaba before returning his gaze to his wife's face. "As far as I'm concerned," He told her coldly, "I have ONE true daughter, and one murder and freak!"

The punch that smashed into his jaw sent him flying backwards at least two meters before crashing into the ground, legs buckling beneath him.

Melena threw one last glance of pure hate in his direction before sinking back down into her seat. Sorrow stepped forward, hands clapping sarcastically. She nudged the prone figure of the governor with her boot, making him moan but not get up yet from the blow.

"I think you had better get back to your seat," She told him simply. She watch as he practically crawled back to where he'd been sat before, cringing in on himself in embarrassment from the following stares of the people around him.

Sorrow raised an almost invisible eyebrow at Melena. "That was quite a hit by the way. You've been training with Raven?" Melena shook her head. "Just running off of fifteen years of hate watching how they've been treated." Sorrow chuckled, a strange sound for her. "Hell hath no fury like a mother's wrath."

She glanced around the room at her audience. "I think it's time to begin." When Sorrow clicked her finger sat the bare wall in front of them, causing it to turn dark before an image began to slowly materialize on it.

"And before you think of running, know that I WILL be present and watching you throughout the whole time, even if you might not always be able to see me so, best behavior please?" She then wrapped her cloak around herself and spun, sinking lower until the fabric became replaced by fur and the small black cat scuttled away somewhere among the shadows of the furniture, disappearing from sight. All attention turned to the image that was slowly becoming visible in front of them.

**I'm going to be writing all chapters by song from this point on, sometimes putting two of the shorter ones in doubles. I shall also be writing the next few chapters from a characters POV instead of third person. I may not up-date for sometime as I'm at a very busy stage of my life right now, but shall hopefully have something ready to post with in the first week of the new year. Review to tell me who's POV I should start off with for "No one morns the wicked", **

**Elphaba **

**Galinda **

**Melena **

**Or Sorrow's (mine) **

**Let's make things a little more interesting….**


	2. No One Mourns The Wicked

**So here is it, Chapter Two as promise, although I must give a warms thanks to everyone who's commented on my first, it was a huge surprise to receive so much support and I'm truly honoured to say that I have received more reviews for the first chapter of this story than I have in every chapter of all my other stories put together! In light of that, this is probably the fastest I've ever updated on a story that I didn't already have the next chapter pre-written for. I've been fairly busy over the holiday but did just about manage to squeeze in some typing time. Now for the POV of this chapter, I asked for a vote and the results have been a tie between Galinda and Melena, so I've decided to do two chapters in one go and split it between the two. Here's a shout out to the winning voters: Doglover465, iamgouk & Frostbite! And now on with the show! SS**

**Chapter Two – **

**Galinda's POV**

The tension in the room was so confusifing as the dark image quickly took shape on the bare wall in front of us. My hand crept up and gripped Elphie's as I admittedly twirled one of my curls with my free hand nervously. Everybody jumped as a powerful blast of music suddenly boomed, seemingly out of nowhere.

**The shadowy form of a deep, green city took shape, clearing after a few moments, lifting to revealing the citizens of the Emerald city in the mist of some sort of celebration in the cities center.**

**(Citizens): "**_**GOOD NEWS! SHE'S DEAD! THE WITCH OF THE WEST IS DEAD!" **_

I shared and look with Elphie, silently asking her what this was about. She simply shrugged at me and nodded back to the wall. I saw a few people in the audience in front pointed to the image excitedly as they recognised older versions of themselves amongst the crowd.

**The people dressed in a wide array of weird of wonderfully styled green clothing threw their arms and hats up in joy, twirling ribbons and hugging one another, cheering manically. **

**(Citizens): **_**"The wickedest Witch there ever was, the enemy of all of us here in Oz, IS DEAD! GOOD NEWS, GOOD NEWS"**_

I shuddered, and unattractive tremble shaking my body. I've never heard of any witch like that before but she sounds frightening. That creepy ghost girl or whatever she was said this was meant to be like the future or something? Well then I hope I never have meet her.

**A random man leaned forward out of the crowd and the image zoomed slightly in on him momentarily. **

**(Random Man):** _**"Look! It Glinda!"**_

"It's GALINDA! With a GAR!"

I shouted indignantly, before even realizing the words had left my mouth. The whole room turned to look at me and for the first time in my life, I didn't enjoy being the center of attention. Luckily their attention was quickly drawn back to the moving image on the wall and I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. A glance to my right saw Elphaba with a gleam in her eyes, clearly biting back laughter. I scowled at her and stuck my tongue out in a very unusual, unlady-like gesture, but didn't hold it for long, out of fear that it would cause lines to my face and turned back to the wall myself, eager to see what I turned out like in the future.

**All the other people in the crowd stopped what they were doing and spun around, following the man's pointing finger, letting out a collective gasp when they reached the end of it. A large, bubble shinning, bubble like shape lowered down slowly from the sky until it hovered just above the ground. The image zoomed in on the beautiful young woman that stepped out of it, dressed in a large glittering white/blue ball gown and Silver tiara settle among a mass of golden curls, welding a sparkling silver spectre and clutching a huge, old, battered looking book to her chest, the one item looking strangely out of place amongst the rest of the glamour surrounding it. The woman stepped out to face the crowd, a warm smile plastered on her stunning face, waving to the people who flocked around her adoringly. **

A collective gasp went around the whole as everyone recognised a slightly older version of me stood before the people of Oz and I stared in complete awe as I watched future me addressing the people regally, appearing to have everything I'd always dreamed about. It was such a relief to know I was going to live the life I'd planned.

**(Glinda): "**_**Isn't it good to see me?" **_

**The crowd cheered loudly, causing Glinda to giggle slightly into her palm. **

**(Glinda): **_**"No, no. No need to respond. That was rhetorical." **_

Next me, Elphaba coughed noisily into her hand. "(Cough) Suck (Cough) Up! (Cough)."

I elbowed her in the ribs, smiling slightly despite myself.

**(Galinda): "**_**Citizens of Oz. Let us be glad, let us be grateful. Let us rejoicify that goodness could subdue, the wicked workings of, you know who. Isn't it nice to know, that good will concur evil. The truth we all believe'll by and by. Outlive a lie, for you and –" **_

**(Random Man): **_**"Glinda!" **_

**A tall lanky man interrupted her, not unkindly, calling out from the crowd. **

**(Random Man): "**_**Exactly how dead is she?" **_

**This query caused all of the others in the crowd to turn to her questioningly. **

**(Glinda): **_**"Well. Because there has been so much speculation and rumour. Innuendo. Outnuendo. Let me set the records straight. According to the time-dragon clock, the melting occurred on the thirteenth hour, the direct result of a bucket of water thrown by a female child. Yes, the wicked witch of the west is dead!" **_

**The crowd burst into another round of cheers upon hearing this and continued celebrating. **

I felt a shudder of relief go through me at the news. Then something occurred to me. Did future-me just say that the witch died because someone threw a bucket of WATER on at her?

**(Random Man): **_**"No one morns the wicked!" **_

**(Random Woman): **_**"No one cries they won't return!"**_

**(Citizens): **_**"No one lays a lily by their grave!" **_

**(Random Man): **_**"The good man scorns the wicked!"**_

**(Random Woman): **_**"Through their lives, our children learn-" **_

**(Citizens): **_**"What we miss, when we misbehave!" **_

**(Glinda): **_**"And goodness knows, the wicked's lives are lonely! Goodness knows, the wicked die alone! It just shows when you're wicked, you're left only, on your own…." **_

**An almost mournful look appeared briefly on her face and her tone of voice dropped ever so slightly at the last note, but nobody seemed to notice, all too far caught up in their own celebrations. **

**(Citizens): **_**Yes, goodness knows, the wicked's lives are lonely! Goodness knows, the wicked cry alone! Nothing grows for the wicked, they reap only, what they've sown!"**_

The heads of several people in the rows in front of us nodded in agreement with what their future selves were saying, reminding me of the cutesy little bobbled head dollies I have on the top on my vanity table in our dorm.

**There was a moment pause, a moments hush throughout the crowd as Galinda's words sunk in before she spoke again, appearing to be getting ready to leave again. **

**A girl little younger than herself grabbed a hold of her arm, sinking to her knees on the ground in front of her. **

**(Random Girl): **_**"GLINDA! Why does wickedness happen?" **_

**Glinda paused for another moment before answering, lighting up slightly as she did so, as though something in the question had struck a chord in her. **

**(Glinda): **_**"Well that's a very good question, one that most people find very confusifying. Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them? After all, she a childhood. She had a father, who just happened governor of munchkin-land." **_

**She waved her wand in a perky manner, as she began her story. A male voice called out from somewhere behind her, but did not appear to be part of the crowd in the main of the city. **

A gasp went through the whole room, and I nearly let one out myself as I recognised the voice of Elphaba and Nessarose's father, the governor. It couldn't be, that future-me and future-everybody were talking about one of THEM! Could it?

**(Father): **_**"I'm just off to the assembly dear." **_

**Glinda continued without much pause. **

**(Glinda): **_**"She had mother, as so many do…."**_

**The image changed to one of a very much younger-looking Governor standing by the door of his home, holding the hands of his wife Melena, who did not appear to look very much different than she did as now. **

**(Father): **_**(How I hate to go and leave you lonely." **_

**(Mother): **_**"That's alright, it's only, just one night." **_

**(Father): **_**"But know that you're here in my heart, while I'm out of your sight….."**_

**The governor left his wife home alone, who perked up immediately at a sudden knock at the door not long after her husband's departure and she rushed to it, admitting it a tall, dark, sharply dressed stranger. Glinda's voice spoke over the top of the picture as though the image were still on her for a moment. **

**(Glinda): "**_**And like every family, they had their secrets." **_

**(Lover): **_**"Have another drink, my dark-eyed beauty. I've got just one more night left here in town. So have another drink of green-elixir, and we'll have ourselves a little mixer. Have another little swallow little lady, and follow me down…"**_

Gasps of shock and muffle whispers broke out among the crowds as gossipers began spectating on this new information eagerly. A look at Nessarose at the end of our row revealed a horrified face and a quite squeak escaped her lips. A loud spluttering sound made me look forward again to see the governor clutching the side of his chair in a very unpleasant manner, face once again changing in colour in rage, this time to a very hideous shade of violet!

**(Glinda): **_**"And of course, from the moment she was born, she was, well, different!" **_

**The scene changed and the wide, heavily pregnant figure of Melena limped into the door frame of another room, clutching her sides in pain as contractions rippled through her. An elderly looking Goat rushed forward and helped her onto the large bed in the middle of the room, with the young governor fussing over his labouring wife and she prepared to give birth. **

Nessa regarded her mother with pure terror. "I'm….I'm born out of….of-"

She spluttered horribly and I winced when I rememberifyed how very religious she is. Melena covered her pale hand with her own sadly, casting a glance at Elphie next between us.

"Not YOU, dear." Nessa looked at her sister and I could see something click behind her gaze.

**(Midwife): **_**"It's coming!" **_

**(Father): **_**"Now?" **_

**(Midwife): **_**"The baby's coming!" **_

**(Father): **_**"How!" **_

**The young governor and mid-wife crowded around the front of the bed, blocking the view of Melena in the image. **

I couldn't help but feel relieved at that. I have nothing against child-birth, in fact I thinks rather wonderful and I can't wait to have my own children one day but I'd still rather not watch somebody else giving birth. From the looks of everyone else's faces, they felt mostly the same.

**(Midwife): **_**"I see a nose!" **_

**(Father): **_**"I see a curl!" **_

**(Father & Midwife): **_** "It's a healthy, perfect, lovely, little-"**_

**They broke off with a screech and yelp of surprise and horror. **

**(Father): **_**"Sweet Oz!" **_

I jumped surprised, not realizing how caught up I'd been in the excitement of the birth.

**(Mother): **_**"What is it? What's wrong?" **_

**(Midwife): **_**"How can it be?" **_

**(Father): **_**"What does it mean?"**_

**(Midwife): **_**"It's atrocious!" **_

**(Father): **_**"It's obscene!" **_

The quite hum that had been slowly rising throughout the audience rose to a loud mummer, almost threatening to drown out the sound of the moving picture. Almost. This was NOT the typical reactions to one's own child being born.

**(Father & Midwife): **_**"Like a froggy, ferny cabbage, the baby is unnaturally GREEN!" **_

And just like that it all made sense. The crowd felt silent as understanding settled in.

**The mid-wife lifted a wrapped bundled from the bed, cradling it carefully. She offered it to the governor, who looked away disgustedly, refusing to take it. **

**(Father): **_**"Take it away…. TAKE IT AWAY!" **_

I felt a tiny bit of anger rise up on my friend's behalf. I'd always known that Elphaba's father didn't like her but to hear him straight out refusing to acknowledge her, even right after birth, refusing to look at her with such open disgust. Apparently future at least felt something of the same.

**The image changed again, back to the celebrations in Emerald city, with Glinda looking on at the crowd with a clear sympathetic expression on her face. **

**(Glinda): "**_**So you see, it couldn't have been easy!" **_

**The crowd appeared to have their minds set in a different opinion. They continued expressing their emotions of the celebration. Even Glinda seemed to relent and join them, although with not as much vigour as the rest of the crowd. **

**(Citizens): **_**"No one mourns the wicked! Now at last, she's dead and gone! Now at last, there's joy throughout the land! And goodness knows, we know what goodness is! Goodness knows, the wicked cry alone!" **_

**(Glinda): **_**"She died alone!" **_

**(Citizens): **_**"Woe to those, woe to those, who spurn what goodness is. They are shown! No one mourns the wicked!" **_

**(Glinda): **_**"Good news!" **_

**(Citizens): **_**"No one mourns the wicked!" **_

**(Glinda): **_**"Good news!" **_

**(All): **_**"No one mourns the, WICKED! WICKED! WICKED!" **_

**The people in the crowd passed in their joy for a moment to catch their breath and Glinda saw her opportunity to leave. **

**(Glinda): "**_**Well if you'll excuse me, I have much to attend to, what with the wizard's unexpected departure." **_

**She made to get back into her bubble and got several feet off of the ground before yet another citizen called out to her from the crowd, preventing her escape. **

**(Random Man): **_**"Glinda! Is it true, that you were her friend?!" **_

"Yes!" I shouted over the heads of the audience, clutching Elphie's hand tightly, surprising her and staring defiantly at them as they turned at looked at us, much to her discomfort.

**Glinda openly hesitated, battling internally with herself before answering. **

**(Glinda): **_**"Well… Yes!"**_

**A wave of horrified gasps rippled from the party and Glinda carried on quickly before anyone else could speak out against her. **

**(Glinda): **_**"Well it depends on what you mean by friend. I did know her. That is, our paths did cross, at school. But you have to understand that it was a long time ago, we were both very young…." **_

I watched the image change again with nervousness quite unlike me and I squeezed Elphie's hand even tighter. I wondered fleetingly what was going to be revealed next.

**Part one…..**


	3. Dear Old Shiz

**And part 2, as promised! Sorry I couldn't post it straight away with part 1 like I meant to but something came up and this took longer than I planned. **

**Chapter Three – **

**Melena's POV **

I eyed my lost-husband carefully through-out the first part of the story, worried for a moment that he might do something terrible out of rage. I know that Sorrow wouldn't actually allow him to hurt anyone who didn't deserve it, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he wouldn't try. Damage is not always physical.

Speaking of which, I was drawn slightly by a sliver of movement out of the corner of my eye, as a dark shape scuttled unnoticed by everyone else out through an impossibly small hole in the bottom corner of the wooden doors and slide out into the corridor. Probably going out to fetch _him_ and bring in him in, I mused silently to myself. I still haven't really decided yet if I actually like the strange witch or not, but I must admit I have certainly developed a healthy respect for her these past few days, since we began planning this together with Raven and Selene.

My attention was drawn again, back to the images on the wall. _Screen,_ I reminded myself sternly. That's what Sorrow had insisted it was called. My eyes swerved round to land on Frex's face which was now facing me, staring at me with such hatred as he twisted round in his seat. I braced myself for the upcoming onslaught.

"YOU…..YOU SLUT! YOU HORENDUS WHORE!" He staggered to his feet, his rage making him quake on his feet. All eyes tracked his journey across the room to our private row in the back as he marched up to me. I arranged my features into a neutral expression and was careful not to look towards the doors. I knew that no one else but myself had seen Sorrow leave the room and intended to keep that way for as long as possible, knowing all too well how likely he was to try something if he knew the witch wasn't around to stop him.

"HOW DARE YOU BETRAY ME LIKE THAT? HOW COULD YOU? ALTHOUGH I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING WAS OFF WHEN THAT MONSTROISTY WAS BORN!"

THAT struck a nerve. I stood and glared at him, our faces no more than a foot away.

"Now hold on just a clock-tick! Insulting me is one thing but don't you DARE start on her! SHE at least, has never done anything wrong!"

His face twisted into a hideous sneer. I immediately longed to wipe it clean off of his face and my arm began to slowly raise of its own accord, readying another punch. His voice came out clear and even, almost calm this time.

"I had always though that the child had been born that way to punish ME for my sins. But now I realise that it's YOUR punishment, not mine."

I let the punch that had been building up fly. He crumpled to the ground in a messy heap. Yet another round of shocked gasps flew across the room. I was really growing tired of them.

"OH SHUT UP!" I snapped at the crowd.

Beside me, on my right, Nessarose was white with terror, shock and horror, trembling lightly, griping the arms of her seat, while to my left, Elphaba wore a similar expression, covering her face with her hands and appeared to be trying to sinking back further into the seat, looking like she longed for the floor to open up and swallow her whole. Beside her, her friend Glinda, _or was it still Galinda right now?, _was watching the Frex's form with clear contempt and she tried to comfort my little girl, one dainty arm wrapped loosely around her thin shoulders. Beyond her the boy, Fiyero was shooting daggers at Frex from his seat, laying crumpled on the floor appearing as though he longed to take a swing at him himself. I very nearly invited him to do so, when a sarcastic voice broke through my rage.

"Well, it appears that ether your husband secretly enjoys getting his arse kicked by the superior sex, or he's even stupider than I first guessed."

I looked up to see Sorrow leaning causally against the walls beside the doors watching calmly, thin arms crossed over her chest. I narrowed my eyes at her,

"The latter I presume, or both although, I personally hope not."

She clicked her fingers at the subject of our conversation and point back to his seat, like one would a disobedient dog that refused to get off the furniture. He began to slowly drag himself back that way, practically crawling, not yet able to stand.

"Which is what happens, when you leave the room unattended during one of the most dangerous scenes!" I snapped at her. She quirked an eye-brow at me humorously, taking no heed of my potentially dangerous tone of voice.

"You seem to be quite capable of taking care of yourself without me here. And besides, I had another guess to bring in."

Her calm tone brought me back to my senses and my manners quickly kicked back in. I gave her a slight nod of apology which she seemed to accept, reverting back into cat form and taking up her hiding place somewhere in the shadows again after giving her audience a quick but effective warning glance and I sank back down into my seat between my two children. With one last glance at both of my daughters, I settled in, glad to watch a more happier moment, in my child's life.

**The pictures changed again, revealing the regal front court yard of Shiz, slowly filling up with the bodies of the various students, ready to begin their new term at the school. A green figure slipped in amongst them and the image followed her and she weaved her way through the crowd, people recoiling away from her in shock, disgust, and even a little fear , hiding behind their suitcases as the majority stood with their hands on their hearts, the school anthem pouring from their mouths. One girl even fainted as she came face to face with her, being caught and dragged away by her two male companions. At one point she came face to face with Bog, who eyed her nervously from behind his suitcase until she stepped aside with a sigh and motioned him to past, which he did rather quickly. **

I saw said boy cringe slightly, lean over Fiyero and mouth "Sorry" to her behind the other boy's back. She smiled at him and nodded sadly but otherwise did not respond.

**(Students): **_**"O hallowed halls and vine-draped walls, the proudliest sight there is. When grey and sere our hair hath turned, we shall still revere those lessons learned, in our days at dear old Shiz. Our days, at dear old…" **_

**Among the late arrivals, was the Dainty silhouette of Galinda, being wheeled upon her huge pile and matching white cases, her voice floating easily over that of the other students. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-old…" **_

**(Students): "**_**Dear old Shiz-zzzzz….." **_

**The mass of students finished their song on a hissing note ad they turned to face Elphaba with open astonishment and confusions written clearly on their faces, among other emotions. **

_Oh, here we go!_ I thought to myself. Personally, I found my eldest daughters sarcasm quite amusing, even if it does make me to feel sad that, she'd had to form it out of defence. A quick look at the boy, Fiyero's face as she readied her response found that I was not alone in my amusement.

**Elphaba noticed the other's staring and faked surprise. She started forward slightly towards them then stopped after a couple of steps. **

**(Elphaba): "**_**What's everyone staring that? OH! Do I have something in my teeth? Is my skirt indecent?" **_

**Enraged and just ever so slightly bored, she slammed her suitcase down hard on the ground and marched up the increasingly nervous students who began to back away ever so slightly as she approached them. **

**(Elphaba): "**_**ALRIGHT! Let's get this over with! NO, I am not sea-sick! YES, I have always been green and NO! I did not eat grass as a child!" **_

**She stopped just a foot or so short of actually touching the closest student, whom had all bunched together like frightened sheep, corner by a wolf in their pen, counting off their unspoken questions on her discoloured fingers. **

I just had to bite back a smile at her undignified response and couldn't help but feel just a small stab of pride, admiring her strength, it took a lot to live through what she's had to and still come across with such outward confidence like that and for that, I was proud of my girl.

**(Governor): **_**"ELPHABA!" **_

The entire room jumped as my lost-husbands furious voice boomed from across the courtyard and out through the screen. Even _him_, who I noticed has been seated down in the back room, on the other side of that Morrible woman. I wrinkled my nose in distaste as I looked at her. _Horrible old fish._ Curiously, I glanced around for Sorrow, wondering exactly how she'd managed to sneak _him_ in without many people noticing. _Still, I suppose since not many people actually know him like that anyway and they have been kinda focused on our little argument the whole time, then it actually probably wouldn't be that difficult to do if you're good at being stealthy, and I have very little doubt that SHE almost certainly is! _

**The image spread out slight further to show the older version of the governor wheeling his youngest daughter through the court-yard to halt her beside Elphaba's dropped suitcase. She scuttled up to them, gesturing to the wheel-chair bound girl. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"And this is my sister Nessarose, as you can see, she's a perfectly normal colour!" **_

**The governor snapped at her. **

**(Governor): **_**"Stop making a spectacle of yourself!" **_

**Elphaba abandoned her sport of confronting the frightened students to stand beside her father, quietly. **

**(Governor): **_**You know the only reason I'm sending you to this school is-" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"I know! It's to look after Nessa." **_

**He knelt down beside the wheeled chair and took his favourite child's hands into his own. **

**(Governor): **_**"My dear Nessarose, my precious little girl! I have something for you, a parting gift. " **_

**He reached down beside him, lifting up a small, locked case, opening it to her carefully. She gasped excitedly. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"Jewelled shoes! Oh father!" **_

**She reached into the case and lifted out a bejewelled, heeled, sliver slipper and held it up to the light adoringly. The light reflected off it, making it sparkle and she tilted it in different directions before lowering it down the settles in her lap. **

**(Governor): **_**"As benefits the future governor of Munchkin-land. Elphaba." **_

**He snapped the case shut and pushed it into the green-girls arms stiffly, before straightening his robes. **

**(Governor):**_** "Take care of your sister. And try not to talk so much!" **_

**And with that, he gathered himself and strode off, out of the court-yard and out of sight. **

**(Nessarose): "**_**Oh Elphaba." **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Its fine Nessa. What could he have gotten me? I clash with everything." **_

There was a ripple of stifled laughter that echoed across the rows of seats, which made me smile vaguely.

**The students seemed to have recovered their wits after Elphaba's stare-down and had quickly begun gossiping among themselves when a loud, slightly screechy voice called to them from across the yard and a large, very robust, ancient looking woman strolled through the groups to stand in the center of them. Her face was covered with deep-set wrinkles and caked in heavy make-up in an attempt perhaps to make herself appear somewhat younger, only resulting in doing the opposite. **

**(Morrible): **_**"Welcome, welcome new students. I am Madam Morrible, your head shiztress. I'd like to welcome you to Shiz University. So whever you're here to study, law, logic or liquidation, I know I speak for my fellow facility members when I say that we have nothing but the highest hopes for, some of you." **_

I frowned at her tone. That was no way to encourage children. I took reached out on both sides and captured a hand of each of my girls in my own, squeezing them reassuringly.

**(Morrible):**_** "And you must be the governor's daughter, Miss Nessarose is it?" **_

**The bulbous looking woman started towards the two odd sisters. She reached out slightly and framed Nessa's face slightly in her hands. **

**(Morrible): **_**"Ah my, what a tragically beautiful face you have!" **_

**She pulled away and turned to the girl's companion, barely biting back a surprised shriek as she did so. **

**(Morrible): "**_**And who is- AHH!" **_

**Elphaba, well used to this reaction stepped forward and introduced herself calm, if slightly bitterly. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"I'm the other daughter, Elphaba. You could say I'm beautifully tragic!" **_

_**Morrible looked her up and down as though still not quite believing what she was seeing. **_

**(Morrible): **_**"Yes, well…. I'm sure you're very bright."**_

**Galinda looked up from her conversations with her new groupies, overhearing. **

**(Galinda): "**_**Bright? She's floss-fluorescent!" **_

**She giggled at her own wit and her the other students that had already taken to flocking around joined in. Elphaba shot them a seething glare. Morrible sighed and continued. **

Another frown flickered a cross my face at this and I felt the familiar rage build up like every time I'd had to watch my baby be insulted, but I tried not to feel too angry at this one, knowing she would make up for it in time. When I glanced to my side, I was relieved to see the girl now sat next to my baby at least had the decently to cringe as her past-self on the screen made the snide remark and gave Elphaba an apologetic look, who in return nudged her slightly, letting her know it was okay.

**(Morrible): **_**"Now, regarding room assignments."**_

**Galinda perked up and hopped over to the old woman, waving one slim hand in the air profusely at the same time Elphaba's hand went up. **

**(Morrible): **_**"Is this about the room assignments?" **_

**Galinda looked confused for a moment before brightening. **

**(Galinda): "**_**Oh! No. Thank-you Madam Morrible for asking but, I've been assigned a private sweet." **_

**At that moment, the other student burst out of a wave of astonished gasps and Galinda smiled at them sweetly before continuing quickly. **

**(Galinda): **_**"BUT! You can all come and visit me, whenever you want!"**_

**This quickly earned her a round of approval from her peers who swooned at her good nature and she quickly became engaged in a light argument with a couple of other girls. **

**(Random girls): **_**"Aww, how good of you! You're so good!" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh, I am not!" **_

**(Random girls): **_**"Yes you are!" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh stop it!" **_

**(Morrible): "**_**Do you have a question dear?"**_

**Galinda seemed to suddenly remember her conversation with the teacher. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh yes. You see I'm Galinda Upland." **_

**She point one finger above her head and raised her hand slight to exaggerate her point. **

**(Galinda): "**_**Of the upper Uplands. And I have applied for your sorcery seminar, in fact it's my sole reason for attending Shiz! Perhaps you recall my entrance essay, "Magic wands, need they have a point?" **_

I bit back a snigger and a quick glance at my daughter told me she was trying to do the same, much to the annoyance of said girl who simply pouted at her half-heartedly.

**(Morrible): **_**"Yes well I do not teach my seminar very semester, except of course if someone special comes along."**_

_**Morrible turned to move away but Galinda quickly stepped in front of her path, not yet giving up. **_

**(Galinda): "**_**Yes well exactly-" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Madam Morrible! We haven't received our room assignments yet." **_

**Elphaba called to her from her sister's side giving the teacher cause to move away from Galinda and walk up to them, taking a hold of the hand bars of the back of Nessa's wheel-chair. **

**(Morrible): **_**"Ah yes well, don't worry dear. Your father made his concern for your sister's wellbeing quite apparent. She shall be sharing my compartment with me, where I can assist her as needed." **_

I tried not to shudder at the thought of my baby living with that monster, knowing what she would try to do to her in the future. Instead I settled for growling at my lost husband from my seat, for so openly favouring one of my children over the other. He seemed to have heard because he sunk down even lower into his seat without turning around to face me.

**Morrible began to wheel the young girl away, only to be blocked by her more colourful sister. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"BUT I've always taken care of my sister!" **_

**(Nessarose): **_**"Elphaba its fine!" **_

**(Elphaba):**_**"But I promised father!" **_

I didn't miss the way Frex cringed in his seat at the word and for another moment, I seriously wanted to march up and hit him again.

**Morrible looked at her, studying her for a moment. **

**(Morrible): "Oh? Well he never mentioned you. Umm. Just a slight gulch. Don't worry, we'll find somewhere to put you." **

**(Elphaba): **_**"But Madam!" **_

**Elphaba followed the teacher insistently. **

**(Galinda): "**_**I don't even think she read my essay!"**_

**Galinda was complaining to her new-found friends. Bog stepped up to her timidly and bravely made a suggestion. **

**(Bog): **_**That is so un-fair! You should say something." **_

**Galinda turned to her friends in confusion. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Should I?" **_

**Madam Morrible stood in the center of the yard and clapped her wrinkled hands together to gather everyone's attention. **

**(Morrible): **_**"Attention students. Which one of you girls will volunteer to share with Miss Elphaba?" **_

_**Galinda seemed to have made up her mind because she pulled away from her group pf friends to skip over to the teacher, hand held high in the air. **_

**(Galinda): **_**"Madam Morrible!" **_

**(Morrible): **_**"Ah why thank-you dear, that is very kind. See Miss Elphaba, you can room with Miss Galinda." **_

They just simply couldn't help it, the looks of horror on both girls faces was simply too much and the entire room (excluding the obvious) burst out into laughter, causing both girls to shrink in on themselves slightly in mild embracement and swap shy grins.

**Both girls shrieked as they teacher pulled their hands together and ripped themselves away from each other in disgust. The whole court yard broke out into disarray as everybody headed off to their various rooms, Morrible wheeling Nessa always and Elphaba hurried after them. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Let her go!" **_

**All the other students leapt aside and even Morrible jumped back as a burst of energy shot through the air and Nessa's wheel chair took on a life of its own, causing its occupant to shriek in surprise and the chair began to wheel itself backwards towards her sister, who took a hold of the handles once they were in reach, bringing it to a halt. Everybody gapped at the strange girl. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"ELPHABA!" **_

**(Morrible): **_**"How did she do that!?" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"How did she do that!?" **_

**(Nessarose): **_**"Elphaba! You promised things would be different here!" **_

**Madam Morrible gave the sisters an astounded look. **

**(Morrible): **_**"You mean this has happened before?" **_

**Elphaba looked sheepish. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Well….something just comes over me sometimes, something I can't describe. But, I will try to control myself!" **_

**She threw herself down onto her knee beside her sister's chair and took her hand in her own, leaned her forehead on the arm of the arm of the chair. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"I'm sorry, Nessa!" **_

**(Morrible): **_**"WHAT?" **_

**Morrible appeared to be genuinely dumbfounded. **

**(Morrible): **_**"NEVER, apologise for talent! Talent is a gift! And that is MY special talent, encouraging talent." **_

**The old woman walked over and pulled the green girl to her feet. **

**(Morrible): **_**"Have you ever considered a career in sorcery?" **_

**Elphaba shrugged. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Not really." **_

**(Morrible): **_**"I shall tutor you privately and take no other students!" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"WHAT!?" **_

**The looked of disbelief and outrage on the blond face was obvious. Morrible carried on obliviously. **

**(Morrible): **_**"Oh Miss Elphaba. Many years, I have waited, for a gift like yours to appear. Why, I predict the Wizard might make you his magic, grand adviser." **_

**Galinda gasped and Elphaba interrupted briefly, astonished. **

**(Elphaba): "THEE, Wizard?"**

**(Morrible): "**_**My dear, my dear. I'll write once to the wizard, tell him of you, in advance. With a talent like yours dear, there is a definite chance, if you work like you should, you'll be making good." **_

**(Galinda): **_**"BUT! Madam!" **_

**(Morrible): **_**"Not now dear!" **_

**With that she pulled away and began ushering students back towards their dorms, wheeling Nessa with her. Galinda stood still for a moment, a stunned look on her classically beautiful face. **

**(Galinda):**_** Something's wrong. I didn't get my way."**_

**She trembled slightly and placed a hand her forehead.**

**(Galinda): **_**"I think I'll go lie down." **_

**She turned and began making her own her to the dorms after the others, leaving a stunned Elphaba behind in the court yard alone. **

"OH! Dramatic much!" Beside me Elphaba teased Galinda, nudging her somewhat roughly, making lean more towards Fiyero. "Oh shut up! You mean green thing! It was different then!" The petite blond shoved back even harder, nearly making Elphaba trip over onto my chair. I smiled at the girls antics as an all-out shoving match quickly broke out, making myself and the boy, Fiyero leaned to the slides of our own seats slightly to avoid getting squashed ourselves, him watching them affectionately with as much amusement as I.

I sighed sadly and leaned back in my seat content to watch them for a moment more, letting them enjoy their innocence while they still could. _That would soon change when they saw the rest of what they need to see._ My thoughts darkened for a moment before I shook myself out of it. _Now is neither the time nor place for that. It'll for their own good in the end, if it can help prevent it all from ever happening then it'll be worth any distress it might cause them in between. _

I coughed lightly into my palm to get their attention. It didn't work. They continued practically wrestling with one another. I caught Fiyero's eye and motioned to them, then myself and him, making separating motions with my hands. He seemed to get the idea and took a light hold of Galinda while I grabbed my baby and we pulled them away from each other, retraining them until they stopped.

"I think there's more to watch girl's." I told them dryly. They both blushed and nodded, we let go of them once we were such they wouldn't start again and settled down to watch what happened next.

**Well I finally got it done. Phew! That took a heck of a lot longer than I thought it would. I WAS gonna do this as a double with, "The wizard and I" but I think that would make it too long with all the extra stuff I've put in-between the writing. I got a little bit carried away with this piece, but hey, you did ask for more reactions. Constructive criticism is welcome as long as it isn't nasty. I'm back at college now the holidays are over so I'm going to be a lot busier, but will tr to get a new chapter out at least once a week. Okay, voting time, the first name to get three votes or more get the POV for the next chapter, "The Wizard and I". So, who will it be? **

**Elphaba?**

**Galinda? **

**Fiyero?**

**Sorrow?**

**Fingers to keyboard people, its review time! **


	4. The Wizared and I

**And here is it, chapter four, I just managed to get it in. It was a very close call this time with the votes. I didn't get three votes for one name like I asked this time so I went for the one with the most votes instead which was Elphaba. Guess we'll have to try better next time. And for the anonymous guest who asked when Sorrow is gonna bring the wizard in, if you read between the lines during **_**Melena's thoughts,**_** you'll realize she already has! She snuck him in when Melena and Frex were fighting dumped him discreetly next to Morrible. He just hasn't been named yet but I feel as though I've left enough hints. Here's a shout out to the winning voters: Frostbite and RedApple435! Thank you for your ongoing support, I'll look forward to hearing from you again as we continue. SS **

**Chapter Four – **

**Elphaba's POV **

I stared anxiously at my own astonished face on screen, remembering that same wonderful feeling of amazement and hope. If it weren't for the others here, I would actually quite enjoy living this moment again, but I'm definitely not glad about the entire school population AND my father and few friends witnessing my private thoughts as they're about too.

Seeing there seems to be nothing that I can do about it, I just settle back down into my seat and braced myself for it, hoping that the nastier of my classmates won't be able to take too much from this that they can hurt me with later.

**Elphaba stood, frozen still, staring off after the disappearing crowd several moments after they left, appearing to be completely lost in thought. **

(**Elphaba): "**_**Did that really just happen? Have I actually understood? This weird quirk I've tried to supress or hide, is a talent that could…..help me meet the wizard! If I make good? Then I'll make good!" **_

**The spell broke and Elphaba quickly hurried after the rest of the school body into the large, well decorated halls, suddenly eager and full of energy. **

(**Elphaba): **_**"When I meet the wizard, once I prove my worth. Then I meet the wizard, what I've waited for since, since birth! And with his wizard wisdom, by my looks, he won't be blinded. Do you think the wizard is dumb? Or like munchkins so small minded, NO! He'll say to me, I see who you truly are, a girl on whom I can rely, and that's how we'll begin, the wizard and I." **_

I suddenly feel Galinda's stare boring into the side of my face as looks of surprise broke out among our classmates in the rows ahead of us and one or two whispered quietly to each other, briefly. _I suppose it never occurred to them that the artichoke might actually have feelings, or dreams. _I shook my bitter thoughts from my head and re-focused on the wall, pointedly ignoring Galinda.

(**Elphaba): **_**"Once I'm with the wizard, my whole life will change." **_

**Elphaba made her way down another of complex corridor, a gaggle of students trotting past her, sniggering into her palms and throwing her rude glances and they hurried away. **

(**Elphaba): **_**"Cus once you're with the wizard, no one thinks you're strange!" **_

**The last note was seemed to be almost thrown after the departing students. **

(**Elphaba): **_**"No father is not proud of you, no sister acts ashamed, and all of Oz has to love you, when by the wizard you're acclaimed. And this gift or this curse, I have inside, maybe at last I'll know why, when we are hand-in-hand, the wizard and I!" **_

I tried not feel nervous with my heart and soul being poured out in full attention of everyone I've ever even remotely known, and couple of people I don't. Galinda's burning gaze on the side of my face didn't exactly help my mood to dissipate ether. _Why did Sorrow have to show THIS, of all the moments during my first few days at Shiz! Why is this day so significant? Oh Oz, this is the one time I actually hope Fiyero isn't paying attention for once! _

THAT made me look around at my friends, gaze passing briefly over Galinda who was still staring at me, amused and sympathetic, to Fiyero who, much to my horror and embarrassment was watching the images sharply, looking rather interested. I stared until he looked sideways and caught my gaze, before looking away sharply, fighting off the heat that was starting to rise slightly in my cheeks.

**Elphaba placed her suitcase down on the ground on its side and sat perched on top of it, chin on hand as if contemplating something. **

(**Elphaba): **_**"And one day he'll say to me, Elphaba, girl who is so superior. Shouldn't a girl who's so good inside, have a matching exterior?" **_

I saw several heads, including Fiyero's, I couldn't help but notice, turn and look at me, confusion written plainly across their features, not understanding my choice of words and fought the urge to burry my face in my hands again.

(**Elphaba): **_**"And since folks here to an absurd degree, seem fixated on your, verdigree, would it be alright by you, if I, de-greenify you?" **_

And just like that, it all sunk it. I risked a sneaky glance in Fiyero's direction. Galinda was watching me with plain sympathy dominating her feature, she of all people knew how hard life truly was for me, or she was at least the closest one to knowing anyway. I was baffled Fiyero's expression. His was one of sympathy too, but different to Galinda's somehow, alongside confusion with just a glimmer of anger underlining it, that I got the very strange feeling wasn't actually detracted at me, despite him looking at me. I looked away again, not wanting to face them.

(**Elphaba): **_**"And of course that's not important to me, ALIRHGT! Why not! I'll reply. Oh what a pair we'll be, the wizard and I, yes what a pair we'll be, the wizard and…." **_

There was a ripple of quite laughter across the front rows of seats at this, as everybody could clearly see the contradiction between my tone of voice and what I was saying. Again I pushed down the heat that threatened to leak into my face.

**Elphaba's expression changed from excitement to one that was un-nameable. **

(**Elphaba): **_**"Unlimited. My future is unlimited. And I just had a vison almost like a prophecy. I know, it sounds truly crazy, and true, the visons hazy. But I swear someday there'll be, a celebration throughout Oz, that's all to do, WITH ME!" **_

Fiyero's quite chuckling broke me out of my reserve. Me and Galinda both looked him blankly. "It's just… Are you SURE you don't have to ability to tell the future?" He asked me, grinning widely. I felt the butterfly's rise in my stomach again at the sight of him smiling my way, and nearly forgot to smack him for the comment. I'd been trying not to think about the beginning of the story. Luckily Galinda had it covered and whacked him lightly on the arm for me.

(**Elphaba): **_**AND I'LL STAND THERE WITH THE WIZARD, FEELING THINGS I'VE NEVER FELT! And though I'll never show it, I'd be so happy I could, MELT!" **_

Now it was Galinda's turn to look at me. "I'm sorry Elphie but I'm going to have to agree with him this time, that was so…" She searched for the right word. "Spooky." Fiyero finished for her. I looked back across the room to see several of our classmates watching me with similar expressions.

(**Elphaba): **_**"And so it'll be for the rest of my life, and I'll want nothing else till I DIE! Held in such high esteem. When people see me they will scream, for half of Oz's favourite TEAM! The wizard, AND I!" **_

**The screen went dark and began to change again. **

I was surprise to see several people twisting around in their seats for a moment to look at me with surprise, and to my shock and little sympathy. A couple of them even gave me a couple of polite nods when a caught their gaze, apologetic even, from the ones that had been among the group taunting me on my first day at Shiz, before turning back to watch what appearing next. I felt a mild stab of astonishment again at the slight of someone outside the tiny little click I'd become a part of these past few months at Shiz being almost nice to me. _What in Oz name is happening here? _I decided not to dwell on it and followed everyone else's line of sight as the images began to re-arrange themselves into a new picture. I had no way of knowing that almost everyone in the room had, upon seeing their treatment of me alongside my difficult home life, just felt pity on my behalf and ever so slightly guilty and made a silent promise to themselves to try and be nicer to me in future.

**Its' only a short chapter this time, I couldn't really think of what else to put. I'm planning bigger reactions later on and it's hard to stir up much emotion from someone who's watching their own song. It's far more fun with one of the other characters reflection of the each other's songs. I'm trying to build things up slowly, to make it all the more fun when things tips over at the end, going for the most explosive reactions that I can create. So, voting time. A lot of you have been asking for more evolvement from some of the less pleasant characters like Morrible, Frex and the Wizard, so I'm offering one of their POV's for the next chapter alongside the more common ones. Take your pick and let me know who you want. Will it be….**

**The Wizard (Oscar)? **

**Fiyero? **

**Galinda? **

**Or Sorrow? **

**The quicker you tell me who it's gonna be, the quicker I can write it and get it up! SS **


	5. What is this feeling?

**And here you go, chapter five! I was just so excited by the huge amounts of reviews I've had come pouring through that I couldn't resist getting straight to work the next one, so if my tutors start asking me why all my assignments are coming in late, I'm blaming you guys, just so you know! It's taken me age's cus I've had a lot going on but I've just managed to get it in on time. For once I've had almost total agreement from all my followers of whose POV this chapter should be, so here's a shout-out to all you Fiyero fans out there: Doglover645, tery28, Elphieispopular, RedApple435, Violet Thropp, LilyGold23, Frostbite and Hedgehog of Time! And in answer to your question LilyGold23, I'm doing all the same pairing as them musical so that means, yes, it's gonna be a Fiyeraba based story, among other pairings. Now, continuing…. **

**Chapter Five- **

**Fiyero's POV **

I settled back into my comfy chair, one eye still on Elphaba and Galinda beside, ready to intervene if they decide to start on each other again. I could see Elphaba's mother, Melena watching them through the corner of her eye on the other side of them, ready to do the same. I had to admit, she sure did look a lot like Elphaba, though not QUITE as pretty, perhaps how like how she would have been, had she not been born green. _Whoa! Wait a minute where did that come from? I hadn't really just heard myself right had I? _

I paused, lost in thought for a moment. _Since when did I find Elphaba's skin pretty?_ I risked at glance over at her, where she sat cringing slightly as though mildly embarrassed. It could have been my imagination, but I saw I could see her cheeks darkening ever so slightly. _Is that a blush?_ I wondered. _It must be_, I decided and, finding it quite endearing, decided form now on, I would do everything in my power to make her blush as much as humanly possible.

I turned my attention back to the shadow images dancing across the wall in front.

**The image cleared and revealed the inside of a simple room inside the girl's dormitory, plain cream walls and two simple, single beds sat at opposite ends of the room with their head-boards against the wall, two simple closets and sparse decorations or personal belongings, the inhabitants having clearly not unpacked yet. Elphaba stood, propped up against an old desk by her bed on the farthest side of the room, while Galinda's pettie form stood with her back turned to her unwelcome roommate, near her own bed, both with letter in their hands, reading over them aloud to themselves. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Dearest Momise and Popsicle."**_

**(Elphaba): **_**"My dear father."**_

_Letters to their families,_ I realized. My mouth twitched slightly into a smile as the thought occurred to me, making me realized that I myself had yet to write to my own family more than once in the four months that I'd been attending Shiz. My gaze momentarily wondered the crowds the rows in front and noticed to my great shock, for the first time, my own parents and brother, the king and queen of Vinkus, sat in the back row, on the over side of the governor of Munchkin land! I found myself suddenly trying not to gulp and focusing instead, back on the moving pictures.

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"There's been some confusion over rooming here at Shiz!" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"But of course I'll care for Nessa."**_

**(Galinda): **_**"But of course I'll rise, above it!" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"For I know that's how you'd want me to respond. Yes!" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"There's been some confusion for you see my room-mate is…." **_

**The blond paused, and you could see the gears turning in her head as she struggled to find a positive, or at least, non-insulting way to describe her un-expected bunk-mate. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and all together quite impossible to describe….."**_

**Elphaba, having heard her room-mates forced description, rolled her eyes and simply couldn't help herself from sighing in disgust. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Blond!"**_

Half the entire room erupted into fits of laughter at the pure bluntness of the statement, including Melena, whom Galinda shoot a very dirty look too, and I found myself holding back a laugh, which, when I looked over and caught Elphaba's gaze, who was also smiling, came loose anyway. "OWW!" I flinched at the hit and rubbed my bicep lightly, wondering for a moment how such a little, dainty, blond thing could have such a strong smack.

**(Galinda): **_**"What is this feeling? So sudden, and new?"**_

**(Elphaba): **_**"I felt the moment, I laid eyes on you."**_

**(Galinda): **_**"My pulse is rushing." **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"My head is reeling."**_

**(Galinda): **_**"My face is flushing."**_

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"What is this feeling!?" **_

**The two quarrelling room-mates now looked towards one another, faces the perfect picture of resentment, and it seemed a silent challenge had appeared between them. Galinda tossed her hair. **

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"Vervid as a flame. Does it have a name? Yes….Loathing!" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"Unadulterated loathing!"**_

**(Galinda): **_**"For your face!" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Your voice!" **_

**Elphaba's voice dripped with distain. Galinda's with disgust. The two moved so they were standing face to face with one another. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Your clothing!" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"Let's just say, I loathe it all!" **_

**Both girls leapt away from each and began moving slowly around the room, collecting things for class as they went, practically circling each other. **

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"Every little trait however small, makes my very flesh begin to crawl. With simple utter loathing." **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba): "**_**There's a strange exhilaration, in such total detestation. It's so, pure so strong! Though I do admit, it came on fast, still I do believe that it can last! And I will be loathing you, my whole life long!" **_

**The two students soon found themselves in the wide halls of the university, the other students filling in around them. The majority of them flocked around the blond beauty, expressing their condolences for her unfortunate rooming placement. **

I felt my blood begin to boil strangely listening to some of their comments with an intensity that frightened me.

**(Other Students): **_**"Dear Galinda, you are just too good! How do you stand it, I don't think I could!" **_

**(Other Students): **_**"She's a terror, she's a tartar, we don't mean to be bias, but Galinda you're a martar!" **_

**Galinda's face took on one of mock sincerity, while Elphaba looked on mildly annoyed. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Well….these things are sent to try us!" **_

**(Other Students): **_**"Poor Galinda, forced to reside, with someone so disgusting, defied. We just want to tell you, we're all on your side!" **_

**As if to prove their statement, the whole room began to circle round to Galinda as if to shield her from the green girl on the other side. **

Again that strange feeling bubbled up inside of me. It felt almost protective.

**(Other Students): **_**"We share your loathing!" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"What is this feeling? So sudden, and new?" **_

**(Other Students): **_**"Unadulterated loathing!" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"I felt the moment, I laid eyes on you!" **_

**Both pushed through the crowds dividing them and stalked up to each other to spit the comments out. **

**(Other Students): **_**"For her face, her voice, her clothing!" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"My pulse is rushing, my head is reeling!" **_

**(Other Students): **_**"Let's just say, we loathe it all!" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba):**_** "Oh what is this feeling!?" **_

**Galinda and the rest of the crowd twirled across the room while Elphaba slunk along behind them, falling in to the back. **

**(Other Students): **_**"Every little trait, however small, makes our very flesh begin to crawl!" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"Vervid as a flame, does is have a name? Yes!" **_

**Elphaba began shoving her way through the rest of the students to stand beside Galinda who was bending to one side at waist slightly in a dip. **

**(Other Students & Girls): **_**"Ahhhhh!" **_

**Elphaba nudged Galinda with her own hips, sending her falling forward barely regaining her balance ungracefully. **

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"Loathing!" **_

**(Other Students): **_**"Loathing!" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba):**_** "There's a strange exhilaration, in such total detestation!" **_

**(Other Students): **_**"Loathing!" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba):**_** "It's so pure, so strong!" **_

**(Other Students): **_**"So strong!" **_

**Both girls stared each other down, faces inches away, eyeing each other with contempt. **

I bit back a laugh, earning a strange look from both the girls themselves. _"Sorry!" _I explained, still laughing. _"But it's just, I never realized how much you two must have really loathed each other when you must have first met!" _

It was true. I didn't arrive as early as they did and missed much of their hatred towards each other, only really meeting them right before they got over it and became friends.

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"Though I do admit, it came on fast, still I do believe that it can last! And I will be loathing, for forever, loathing, truly, deeply, loathing you…"**_

**The other students continued to move around the two, most well-known students as the whole crowd continued down the corridor into the classroom. **

**(Other Students): **_**"Loathing you…" **_

**(Galinda & Elphaba): **_**"My whole life long!" **_

**The crowd stared at Elphaba with Galinda who looked at them humorously for a moment before- **

**(Elphaba): **_**"BOO!" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"Ahh!" **_

**Galinda let out a very unlady-like shriek of surprise and half the room jumped back with her while Elphaba cackled at their reaction. **

I chuckled at everyone's faces, earning a few curious looks from the rest of the room. I had to admit I _loved_ Elphaba's sense of humour almost as much as I loved _her!_ Then I caught myself. _I loved her. Did I? Is that what all these strange feelings were?_

I snuck another glace at her from across Galinda, with whom she was laughing quietly with at themselves on the wall. I'd gathered from behaviour towards each other that this was something that had already happened in the past.

_Galinda._ My girlfriend, the one I'm technically with. The one I'm perfect with, the one everybody expects me to be with. We're perfect together. _Then why doesn't it feel like it anymore? _I shook those thoughts straight out of my mind, or tried to, anyway.

_No, it can't be love. Even if I wasn't already with Galinda, I barely know her expect from what Galinda tells me about her! _I keep telling myself this in a mental rant as I watch the images change again to the next scene. Still, I continued to listen to the girls quite giggling as they joked with each other about their old behaviour, and couldn't help thinking what a pretty laugh she has, when laughing sincerely, if only she'd do so more often…..

**And there it is! Fiyero might be a bit out of character as being a female myself I don't really know much about how the male mind works. You may have to just bare with me. Okay, so who going next, I've had lots of different suggestions so I'm going to make some of them to try out. So here we go, will it be: **

**Dr. Dillamound? **

**Madam Morrible? **

**Elphaba? **

**Or Sorrow? **

**Let mix things up a bit…..**


	6. Something Bad

**Firstly I'd like apologise for the late posting, I've had a lot going on. To make up for it, I promise to have to next one up before Wednesday, so it shouldn't affect the overall dead-line too much. So here it is, chapter Six, still quite impressed with myself for getting this far. I didn't really think I would when I started this project on whim while I was bored during my lunch break at college. So again I'd like to give a huge thanks for everyone who's been supporting me through this, it's thanks to you guys that this is still going. So, winning vote for the POV this time, was everybody favourite Goat, Dr. Dillamound! Here's a shout-out going out to the winning voters: Hedgehog of Time, WickedBrony, Redapple435, Elphieispopular, LillyGold23, Frostbite & Anonymous Guest! You're all stars! **

**Chapter Six – **

**Dr. Dillamound's POV **

I shifted anxiously in my seat next to the younger Vinkis prince, feeling Madam Morrible's burning gaze sink into me from the other end of the row. I'm grown enough to admit I was still shaken from the vanishing and being so close to people I'd recently discovered to be behind the cruelty's against my kin.

Shaking the feeling off as best I could, I tried to pay attention to the moving pictures on the wall in front of us. Under any other circumstances I would have actually quite enjoyed myself with this fascinating display, the sorceress was clearly very powerful and she seemed to at least mean well. It was clear she'd gone to a lot of trouble to bring us here to see this, so she must have thought it very important for us to learn what's being shown.

**The mass of students, including Elphaba and Galinda settled themselves into their seats as an elderly Goat in a deep red waist coat and robe with narrow glasses balanced along the bottom of his snot wandered in after them. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Right settle down class, ladies and gentlemen settle down!" **_

**He waved a hoof around his head in a shooing motioned, coming to a stop in front of the old wooden chalk board. **

Despite myself, I felt a rush of warmth to see myself in such familiar surroundings. Oh how I missed my teaching and even my students, though some more than others. I frowned as I remembered the beginning of the vision. Oh how I hoped that part at least was wrong, or could be changed.

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Now I have read some of you most recent your essays and am amazed to report SOME progress! Although some of us still seem to prefer form over content, Miss Glinda."**_

**He offer the blonde girl her paper back, with her took daintily. **

**(Galinda): **_**"It's GA-linda. With a GAR!" **_

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Yes of course Miss, (sneeze) Glinda." **_

**One of the students beside her, flinched as the professor sneezed on her. **

I had to decency to feeling a slight stab of embarrassment at that, and raised my head over to rows in front to find the girl I'd sneezed on and murmur an apology but gave up when I couldn't see her among the first few rows ahead of me. It was far too dark in the room to see any further than that.

**(Galinda): **_**"I really don't see what the problem is, every other professor can pronounce my name." **_

**From the other side of the room, Elphaba leapt to her feet, outrage written plainly across her features. **

I smiled at the image of my start pupil, exercising her famous temper. I'll admit it is somewhat amusing even if it does always seem to flare up at the most inappropriate of times.

**(Elphaba): **_**"Well maybe perfecting the pronunciation of you precious name isn't the sole focus of Dr. Dillamound's life. Maybe he isn't like every other professor, maybe some of us of different!"**_

**The heavy pause hung over the room and Elphaba's glare momentarily faltered as she realised exactly how got carried away she'd gotten with her speech. Galinda's face took on a mildly smug look before she spoke. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Well, it seems like the artichoke is steamed!" **_

**The rest of the class around her erupted into laughter causing the green girl in question to sink back into her seat, while to professor had to stamp his hooves on floor and shout to regain control of the class. Behind him, Boq's hunched figure quickly scurried across the room to his seat, taking advantage of the distraction to sneak in late unnoticed. **

I felt the usual irritation at the majority of my student's short attention spans. Oz knows they'd get distracted by the simplest things and it was always so hard to get their focus back again once it was lost, not that many of them actually had it to begin with!

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Class, Class! CLASS! Miss Elphaba does have a point. Doubtlessly you've noticed that I am the sole Animal professor on the faculty. The token goat as it were. But! It wasn't always like this." **_

**The old teacher's eyes clouded over as a melancholy look fell over them. **

I could feel that evil witch's gaze practically tearing through my body now and all traces of the warmth, amusement or other more pleasant emotions vanished from me instantly as a much darker one took over. Fear. Plain and simple, but oh so consuming. I nearly bleated out in terror when I felt a weight as a small black shape leapt up onto my lap, seemingly out of nowhere.

"_Oh calm down, I'm not going to hurt you! And I've kept my claws in!" _A female voice hissed quietly. I bit my tongue and took a moment to recover my mind. I registered the little black cat on perched, warmly on my knees, blinking up at me through icy blue slits.

"_S-Sorrow?" _I managed to ask shakily, coming out almost as a whisper for some reason. Unbelievably the Cats eyes rolled without widening and I was answered with a rather snarky tone.

"_No, it's Lurline! Yes of course it's me, who else were you expecting?" _I swallowed down my response, thinking her more to be like the other witch, who's name I could not for the life of me recall at that current moment. Apparently it showed on my face because one of the Cat's eyes widen on it's own and I suddenly got the impression that she was raising a non-existent eyebrow at me.

"_I was just going to say that you seem to be rather uncomfortable with the current seating plan and ask if you'd perhaps feel more comfortable if I moved you to the private row in the back with the others?" _I resisted the urge to nod immediately, out of politeness. I wasn't quite sure how to behave around the strange witch and was wearily about upsetting her, even if she hadn't shown any sign of wanting to cause any harm yet.

"_Oh well, I wouldn't want to be any bother." _She narrowed her eyes at me in a most unnerving manner, as if reading me like one would as easily as a book.

"_I wouldn't have asked if it were. Actually you were supposed to be put back with them originally when we were first planning all of this, but I wasn't quite sure how many seats we could fit back there. We figured out eventually we probably could fit a fair few more back there but I was just too lazy to add them at the time." _ She shook her head, looking slightly sheepish if it were possible for a Cat to do so.

"_So I'll ask again. Do you want to be moved somewhere you can watch in peace without that grumpy old fish's gaze boring a hole in the side of your head the whole time?" _This time I didn't hesitate.

"_Yes please if it's not too much trouble."_ _Anything to get away from that awful woman!_ I got a whiskery grin in reply, the shape-shifter's unnaturally blue eyes twinkling with mischief and I began feeling nervous for an entirely different reason.

"_Alright then, hold on tight!" _I barely had a moment to ponder the odd request before a dark shadow fell across my chair and I felt the ground shift behind us. I very nearly bleated in surprise when my vison blurred for a moment and I suddenly found myself further back in the dark room, next to that Munchkin boy who always followed Galinda around like a love-sick puppy.

He on the other hand, had no such dignity and yelped in fright when he noticed my sudden appearance beside him on the now seven-seat row. The whole room jumped at the loud noise and turned round in their seats to find the cause of the commotion. The boy's face tuned scarlet when he noticed everybody's eyes on him and I looked down just in time to see Sorrow give me an amused glance before leaping down off my lap and disappearing off somewhere among the darkness surrounding the bottom of the seats. After a few seconds of staring everyone else soon lost interest and turned their attention back to the picture on the wall, as I myself then did the same.

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Oh dear students, how I wish you could have known this place as it once was! When one would walk these halls and hear an Antelope quoting a sonnet, a Snow leopard solving equations or a Wilder beast waxing philosophy. Can't you see students? What's being lost? Our dear Oz is becoming so much less, well….." **_

**He hesitated, looking for an accurate description. His gaze fell upon his most unusual student and his mouth turn up in a slightly smile, barely visible on his snout. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Colourful." **_

I felt a small smile creep across my lips even now, at present time at the memory.

**She returned the smile, unbothered by the comment coming from her favourite teacher, not in an unkind way. The professor seemed to recover his trail of thought. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Now, what set this into motion?" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"What from I've read it all began with the great drought." **_

**The teacher nodded at his star pupil in approval before turning back to his board, pointing to specific areas of interest. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Precisely. Food grew scarce, people grew hungrier and angrier, and the question became, WHO can be blame. Can anyone tell me what is meant by the term scape-goat?" **_

**He signed as a familiar green hand went up. **

I chuckled at my student's enthusiasm. She really did have so much potential. I dearly hoped she would not be lead a stray in such a rapidly changing world, though if this tale's beginning was anything to go on then It seems to my dismay that she would, in the most horrible of ways.

**Then he noticed another. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Someone besides Miss Elphaba? Yes, Miss G-(Sneeze)linda." **_

**A look of annoyance flicked across the blondes face. **

**(Galinda): **_**"It's Galinda, with a Gar, and I can't see what why you can't just teach us history instead of always harping on the past?" **_

**There were several nods of agreement from most of her class while one swallowed back a snigger. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Well, (Laughing) well perhaps these questions I've prepare with help you to-" **_

**The Goat flipped over the ancient board to reveal fancy red writing over the top of the hastily scrubbed out black board. **

**(Students): **_**"Animals should be seen and not heard." **_

Despite myself, I shuddered upon hearing that awful phrase fall from my student's mouths. Even then, I had a very good Idea who had written the dreadful message on the board, though I tried desperately not believe it at the time, there was no denying it now.

**The professor's face was grim and he cast an icy glance over his class. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Who is responsible for this? I'm waiting for an answer." **_

**Not a sound was made by any of the students. **

**(Dr. Dillamound):**_** "Very well. That will be all for today." **_

**His voice came out shaky, barley holding together. When nobody moved, his raised his voice again. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Well you heard me, class dismissed!" **_

**Just like that, the spell was broken and the crowd all bolted for the door, scrabbling to get away from their teachers wrath. Elphaba lingered by the door, waving absent mindedly to her sister who stopped for her. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"You go ahead Nessa." **_

**She stepped slowly back into the room, eyes following the crude message scribbled onto the chalk board. **

I felt a pang for my star pupil, who was so caring despite her unloving background, even after everything she had to live through and wondering not for the first time how someone like her could veer possible earn the title of wicked. A dark sense of forbidding settled over me. _I guess we'll soon find out. _

**(Elphaba): "**_**Animals should be seen and not heard?" **_

**The professor visible jumped at the sound of her voice. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Oh. Oh Miss Elphaba, don't worry about me. Go enjoy your friends. **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Oh that's okay, I have not friends." **_

I cringed at the bluntness of the statement, hearing a few sniggers from the students seated in the row in front of us, a couple of the bolder ones hissing cruel jibes among themselves.

**She calmly walked over and stopped beside the bench her teacher sat slumped on. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Would you like to share my lunch?" **_

**The Goat looked pleasantly surprised by the offer. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Oh why, thank you. How kind." **_

**The two sat down side by side, Elphaba pulling out a sandwich from her bag, handing Dr. Dillamound the paper wrapper. The goat chewed on it for a bit while Elphaba took a couple of tentative bites out of her sandwich before glancing up at the board once more, handing the paper back to her. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"I seem to have lost my appetite." **_

**Elphaba refolded her sandwich in the wrapper. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"You shouldn't let ignorant statements like that bother you. I mean, I always do, but you shouldn't!" **_

**The old Goat sighed, looking downcast and tired. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Oh Miss Elphaba. If only it were just simply a matter of words on a chalk board." **_

**He glanced around fugitively for a moment, checking over his shoulder as if for listeners, before turning back to his student. **

I spotted Madam Morrible turning round in her seat in the back row to glare at me, probably resenting me even more for corrupting her brilliant young pupil. Feeling somewhat bold now that there was some distance between us, confident that Sorrow was around somewhere nearby to subdue the witch should she try anything un-namely, I returned her gaze calmly without flinching.

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Oh Miss Elphaba. The things one hears these days. Terrible things!"**_

**He shook his horned head in dismay. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"I've heard of an Ox, a professor from Quox, no longer permitted to teach. Who has lost all powers of speech!" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"What?" **_

**The look on her face was one of shock. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"And an owl in Munchkin rock, a vicar with a thriving flock, forbidden to preach! Now he only can screech!" **_

**The shocked look on Elphaba's face was quickly morphing into one of terror. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Only rumours but still, enough to give pause, to anyone with paws! Something bad! Is happening is Oz!" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Something bad! Happening in Oz?" **_

**She echoed her teacher's statement with disbelief. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Under the surface. Behind the scenes, something Baaaa!" **_

**Both teacher and student jumped at the unexpected outburst, the Goat covering his mouth with a hoof, just as surprised. **

I fought down the mild stab of embarrassment at my outburst being viewed by so many people. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and saw said student give me a reassuring smile form her place between her mother and friend.

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Oh, sorry. Bad!" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Dr. Dillamound, are you alright? Shall I fetch you a glass of water?" **_

**Elphaba got up and made to hurry over to the next room but the Goat called her back quickly, waving a hoof almost a little frantically. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Oh no, no, no, thank you. I don't quite known what came over me." **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"So, you're saying that there are animals who have somehow forgotten how to speak? How is that possible?" **_

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Well there's so much pressure not to. If you make it discouraging enough, you can keep anyone silent. But I for one will never- Madam Morrible!" **_

_It really is unnerving how she does that, appearing out of nowhere like that. _I eyed from my seat, suddenly nervous of her doing so now, however ridiculous the notion may be.

**The teacher broke off almost immediately, stuttering a little as the rotund woman strolled into the classroom, heavy skirt brushing the floor. **

**(Morrible): **_**"I heard there was some sort of disturberance in class, are you quite alright doctor?" **_

**It was a moment before she noticed the emerald coloured girl stood beside between her and the other teacher. **

**(Morrible): **_**"Elphaba, you're still here? I thought you'd be on your way to my seminar by now." **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Well yes Madam, I would be but-" **_

**(Morrible): **_**"But?"**_

**The older woman interrupted, almost bristling. She gave the young student a cold look. **

**(Morrible): **_**"I do hope I haven't misplaced my trust in you. Magic is a demanderating mistress. And if one's ambition is to meet the wizard well, I'm sure Dr. Dillamound sees my point." **_

**With that, the plump woman turned on her heeled and exited the dusty room exactly as she had entered it. Both Dr. Dillamound and Elphaba stared after her for a moment before Elphaba snapped out of it and swung her bag onto her shoulder. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"I'd better be going." **_

**She hesitated for a second, behind the professor who was already packing up to leave as well. After a moment, she seemed to have made up her mind. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Dr. Dillamound? If something bad is happening is Oz, someone's got to tell the wizard. He'll make it right! That's why he have a wizard! So nothing bad!" **_

**The Animal professor managed a weak chuckle and nodded in agreement with his student. **

I smiled at her innocence. How little she knew about her so-called hero. How little any of them knew, myself including until I found myself at his mercy. My gaze wondered to his fidgeting form in the seat form in the chair next to Morrible, feeling somewhat smug at his obvious nervousness. I have never been a malicious sort of person but I hoped fervently hoped Sorrow made a good show of unveil him, when the time came, as I presumed it would.

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"I hope you're right." **_

**(Both): **_**"Nothing all that bad!" **_

**Both laughed lightly. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Nothing truly Baaaa!" **_

**Again, both jumped at the sudden bleating and the professor took on a look of shame, before collecting himself. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Sorry. Bad." **_

**He hurried out the door as quickly as his hooves could carry him without actually running, without a backward glance. Elphaba paused in thought for a moment herself, as though contemplating what had been said, before she snapped out of it and disappeared out of the classroom after her teachers. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"It couldn't happen here. In Oz." **_

**The image darkened slightly and began to change again. **

I leant back in seat as the rest of the room broke out into quiet murmured amongst themselves, discussing the topic at hand and was quite pleased to see the vast majority showing genuine interest. Maybe if they see some of what's really happening, we can get enough people to support us to actually make a difference for once, some good will come of this strange experience after all….

**Well that's another one of the less musical chapters over and done with. I seem to work faster with lyrics than I do just plain dialog. I've decided to keep things interesting that I don't want to do the same person's POV more than three times total throughout the whole thing, including all the main character like Elphaba, G(a)linda & Fiyero (Who have all been used once already) so vote carefully. Okay, so it's "Dancing through life" next, so who's it gonna be. I'm gonna ask you to vote pretty quickly cus I've stupidly only left myself two days to write it. **

**Nessarose? **

**The Wizard (Oscar)? **

**The governor (Frex)? **

**Or Sorrow? **

**Let's get going…. **


	7. Dancing through life

**So here it is, chapter Seven! I just barely managed to get up on time as promised so I apologise if it comes across as a little bit rushed, cus it is! My own fault for leaving it so late, as least now that it's up I can always just edit it later if I need too. Here's a shout out to the winning voters: livromaniaque, ElphieIsPopular, Doglvoer645, witches always return, RedApple435, Hedgehog of time, Wanli8970, Anonymous Guest, LikyGold23 & Frostbite! Thanks for responding so fast and saving me further embarrassment! This one's for you! SS **

**Chapter Seven – **

**Nessarose's POV **

I fiddled with a loose tear of fabric on at the arm of the chair of my seat anxiously as I waited for the next scene to start up. I nearly jumped when I felt a warm hand in case my own. I looked up to see my mother's face smelling gently at me. _My Mother. _How strange it felt to finally be able to put a face to a name. Father never liked to talk about her much and Elphaba only had a few decent memoires, or at least that's what she told me anyway, though I suspect from the way she's being so instantly comfortable around her that she remembers more than she's ever let on. My sister is NEVER that comfortable around other people, I know she sometimes even struggles with me and our friends when we're alone.

_Half-sister. _I realized with a slight pang. _Although that does explain a lot. Including father's negligence towards her. _ I leaned forward slightly in my seat to search him out in the last row in front of us. _I wonder if he knew? He must have suspected it surely for how long he's been treating her the way he has surely. But then again that could just be due to her unusual colouring till now. _I cringed at that thought and found myself hoping for the former. _Otherwise who knows what he'd do to her now when this is over. _Its true Elphaba's verdigree was rather unappealing at times, as is her awful temper but the former at least wasn't strictly her fault, it was mothers.

_Mother. _I pulled my hand away from hers at that unsettling thought. She looked at me strangely and I motioned her forward, not wanting this conversation to be overheard by the person next to her. I fumbled for the right words for a moment. Final I seemed to have found my voice.

"It's just, how COULD you? I don't understand! Father always spoke of you in such a rightly way whenever he rarely mentioned you?" She seemed to have been expecting this because her face took on a mournful look, yet I could detect no regret among her features. She turned in her seat to face me and grasped both m hands in her own, resting them on my lap.

"I know it's hard for you to understand. You've been brought up by a very religious person and I know you value what you've been taught." She paused for a moment, contemplating.

"I never truly loved your father. It was an arranged marriage and I was with no one else at the time so had no choice but to go through with it. I did TRY to get along with him and perhaps maybe even learn love him, I really did, but I guess some things were just never meant to be. I was very young back then I was always a very social person. I was very lonely and longed for company."

She seemed to be getting lost in thought. "The man you saw me with was very charming and very kind to me when I first met him and treated me well for the short time I saw him. I never heard from him again after that night, though he trusted me enough to confine in me and tell me his real name and where he was going after that. I know who and where he is now and I can tell you that is he right here with us, currently in this room."

I gasped and nearly blurted it right out to Elphaba there and then the truth of her parentage but mother beat me to it, planting a slim finger delicately over my lips. "I'm afraid I must ask you not to say anything to your sister just yet. I trust you enough to tell you that the man who is her biological father is the one now sat next to your teacher Madam Morrible in the back row of seats in front of us, but she can't know, not yet!"

My widened eyes drifting towards the man mother mentioned as she continued to speak, her finger still against my still lips. She watched me carefully before removing her lowering her hand from my face. "All will be revealed, at the right time, in the right order and place."

I could only nod silently, still too much in shock trying to process the information I'd just taken in while the images on the screen came to life again.

**The image cleared again to follow Elphaba as she weaved her way down the dusty brick path, past the tall stone statue outside the school's courtyard, face buried in a book, as usual. A young lad on a bicycle Sped past her, twinkling the bell at her as he went. Small groups of other students milled about lazily. **

Said boy called out cheeringly with his friends when he spotted himself on the wall.

**A posh looking carriage hurried up the road towards her, oblivious, a skinny, pot-marked boy steering it. Elphaba yelped as they narrowly avoided a collision, throwing the diver a glare as he tried quickly to calm the startled horse, not noticing her stalk up to him until it was almost too late. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"HEY!" **_

**The boy panicked when he saw her reaching toward the side doo where another boy, lay snoozing lazily. **

**(Alaric): **_**"Please Miss! You'll disturb him!" **_

**Elphaba continued leaning into the carriage, tossing a reply over her shoulder without missing a beat. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"I certainly will! Wake up you!" **_

**She gripped her thick book tightly in both hands and bought it down lightly on the sleeping boy's forehead causing him to jolt awake with a start. The driver gasped in horror. **

A burst of laughter erupted from somewhere in the back row, causing everyone to look round to where the king sat in his seat, doubled up with laughter. He was wiping tears from his eyes as he finally formulated an answer. "I like this girl! It's about time someone gave my son some normal treatment for change and bring him back down to earth, one way or another!"

Beside him, his wife was smiling and nodded in agreement, while the princes younger brother was just grinning widely, clearing enjoying his brother's humiliation. Half the eyes in room the room briefly turned to Elphaba who was blushing profusely, _Hold on, since when does ELPHABA blush!?_ Before turning back to the moving pictures.

**(Alaric): **_**"Miss! Do you know who this is?" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"I don't care who he is, your cart nearly knocked me over and you're sleeping?!" **_

**The groggy form of Fiyero stepped slowly up to the step of the carriage, one hand nursing his forehead lightly, stopping before stating obviously. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Well of course, it's daytime!" **_

**Elphaba scoffed at him while he complete ignored her, jumping light down from the carriage step to bid his driver farewell. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Well I'll see you soon Alaric. Doubt I'll last any longer at this school than any other the others!" **_

**The two preform some sort of complicated, childish secret handshake before they parted ways, Alaric taking off with the carriage in tow while Fiyero turned round to find Elphaba still stood there, giving him a scornful look. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Is this really how you go through life, nearly running people over and then not noticing them?" **_

**Fiyero coolly ignored her spiteful comment, looking her up and down mildly curiously before a light smirk curled at the corners of his lips. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Maybe the driver saw green and through it meant go?" **_

"FIYERO TIGGILAR!" The queen's voice boomed from the back of the room, just in front of us and I saw her face turn red with shame as she looked at him in furry. I noticed him through the corner of my eyes slink down in his seat, looking like he wished the ground would open up and swallow him, while Galinda and Elphaba looked on beside him, one sympathetic, the other deeply amused. No prizes for guessing which was which.

A quiet coughing caught everyone's attention and the crowds gaze was drawn to a lithe figure stood casually by the doors, near the shadows. Sorrow raised her voice calmly to be sure everyone heard, once she seemed certain she'd captured the whole room's attention.

"I'd just like to point out, I am planning to give you all a break about half way through this so that everyone can take a moment or two to digest everything they've seen so if I can just ask to please stay in your seat and keep quiet for just a little longer and if you still want to kill him at that point, you're welcome to do so then?"

She offered sweetly. Her promise seemed to appeal to the furious queen, who through one last seething glare at her son before sinking back into her chair again. Focus once again restored, the phantom dissolved into the back ground and we look once more to the images on the wall.

**Elphaba didn't dignified his jibe with an answer, choosing instead to stalk off, leaving him to wonder over to the other students hanging around the statue in the center of the yard. **

**Among them Galinda stood chatting idly with her groupies when Boq came rushing towards them, calling at the top of his lungs like a lost puppy chasing after its master. **

**(Boq): **_**"Miss Gaaalllllliiiinnnndddaaaaa!"**_

**He finally drew to a halt just a few feet away from them, nearing knocking over a couple of Galinda's fans in the process. **

**(Boq): **_**"Miss Galinda! I know that I'm just a mere Munchkin." **_

**He raised himself up to his full height as he said so, looking quite proud of himself for in usually tall height for his people. **

I smiled at his image, remembering that magical night we shared together. I sighed dreamily, barely noticing the concerned look mother gave me from my side. _We really do deserve each other. _I watch him flail around to get Galinda attention. _This must be when he asked her for her help. _

**(Boq): **_**"But, even a Munchkin has feelings and I've been trying to tell you of mine for you, but sometimes it's like you don't even know who I am?" **_

_What?_ THAT caught my attention and I found myself sitting upright, or at least as close to straight as I could without assistance.

**Galinda looked around uncomfortably as he awaited her response, clearly looking for a way out of the situation without having to shed her "goodly" persona. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh that isn't true, Bick." **_

**(Boq): **_**"It's Boq." **_

**(Galinda): **_**"BICK!" **_

**Galinda suddenly shrieked excitedly and gasped his arm, shaking it lightly as she spotted Fiyero's wandering figure just a little way off from them. Boq's face look on a smitten look as he gazed down at her hand on his arm. **

**(Boq): **_**"You're touching me!" **_

I felt a stab on pain at seeing the dreamy look on Boq's face. _He can't like her, he can't. He loves me! He does! _

**(Galinda): **_**"Do you know who that is? That's Fiyero Tiggilar! The Winkie prince with the most scandalious reputation!" **_

**She swooned as she spoke, pulling away from the Munchkin to stroll up to the new comer, tossing her hair flirtingly as she did so. He watched her with amusement, stopping to mimic her hair toss when she'd finished. **

**(Galinda): **_**"So are you looking for something or, someone?" **_

**(Fiyero): "**_**Umm yeah, some kind of history class." **_

**He spun a bit of paper in one hand idly, clearly not really reading it. Boq stepped in quickly, eager to get rid of the handsome new boy. **

**(Boq): **_**"The history building is over there my friend." **_

**He made to nudge him in the right direction but Galinda interrupted him, shooing him away, not keen to see the prince gone so quickly. **

**(Galinda): **_**"But that class just finished." **_

**(Fiyero): **_**"Ah, perfect timing." **_

**He shoved the paper back into his satchel carelessly, eyeing Galinda causally as she giggled into her palm. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"So? What do people do for fun around here?" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"Nothing. Until now." **_

**(Boq): **_**"We've been studying." **_

That made me smile. _My Boq, always trying to encourage good behaviour. _

**Boq cut in quickly, still trying to remain a part of the conversation. The prince looked at him with mock horror. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Well, it seems like once again the responsibility to corrupt my fellow students falls to me. Luckily, I'm up to the task."**_

**He hooked an arm around the smaller boy's shoulders in a brotherly embrace. **

**(Fiyero): "See. **_**The trouble with school is, they always try to teach the wrong lesson. Believe me, I've been kicked out of enough of them to know. They want you to become less callow, less shallow. **_

**Galinda burst into a seemingly random fit of giggles beside him by this point. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"But I say why invite stress in? Stop studying strife and learn to live, the unexamined life." **_

_Well that's certainly one way to look at things. _I'll admit I found his way of thinking rather exciting.

**(Fiyero): **_**"Dancing through life, mindless and careless, make sure you're where less trouble is rife. Life's more painless, for the brainless. Why think too hard, when it's so soothing? Dancing through life, skimming the surface, gliding where turf is smooth. Life is froughtless, when you're thoughtless. Those who don't try, never look foolish. Dancing through life, no need to tough it, when you can slough it off as I do. Nothing matters, but knowing nothing matters, it's just life. So keep dancing through." **_

**His speech caught the attention of several of the students hanging around them and he began leading the crowd, Galinda included in a sort of dancing motion, pacing around the large stone statue. Leaping up onto it at the last point. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"So? What's the most swankified place in town?" **_

**He swung hazardously from the statues arm as he posed his question. **

"If you fall off of that thing, I swear to Oz I'll die laughing!" Elphaba's sarcastic voice cut across our row, making me glance her way where she sat smirking smugly as Galinda smacked her arm lightly, abolishing her while Fiyero stuck his tongue out at her cheekily over his girlfriend' s head.

**(Galinda): **_**"That'll be the Oz dust ballroom." **_

**(Fiyero): **_**"Sounds perfect! Let's go down to the Oz dust ballroom, we'll met there later tonight. We can dance till its light. Find the prettiest girl, give her a whirl. Right on down to the Oz dust ballroom. Come on, follow me. I guarantee, you'll be happy to be there! **_

**He leapt down rather gracefully joining the growing crowd of frolicking students. **

**(Students): **_**"Dancing through life, down at the Oz dust." **_

**(Fiyero): **_**"Only because dust is what we come too! Nothing matters, but knowing nothing matters." **_

**He swung Galinda round, arm on around her waist. **

**(All): **_**"It's just life!"**_

**(Fiyero): **_**"So keep dancing through…." **_

**(Boq): **_**"Ah Miss Galinda, I do hope you'll save at least one dance for me. I'll be right there, right by your side, waiting, all night." **_

There was a ripple of sniggers across the rows of seats at the poor boy's obvious crush. _And that's all it was, just a crush! _I kept telling myself eagerly.

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh how kind. But you know what would be even kinder? See that tragically beautiful girl. The one in the chair? How it seems so unfair, we should go on a spree, but not she. Gee, I know someone would be my hero, if that someone where, to go invite her!" **_

**(Boq): **_**"Well… maybe, I could invite her?" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh Bick, really? You would do that for me?" **_

**(Boq): **_**"I would do anything for you, Miss Galinda!" **_

**With that the short boy rushed off, nearly tripping over his own feet in eagerness as he approached the crippled girl excitedly. **

**(Boq): **_**"Excuse me, Miss Nessarose? I have something I'd like to ask you!" **_

**They spoke quietly between themselves for a moment before they must have come to an agreement because he grabbed the back of her wheel chair and pushed her off somewhere further away on campus.**

I felt a stab of pain cut through me. A pity date. Surely that couldn't be right! _It may have started out that way but it surely isn't now! _

I looked over at Boq next to that teacher that Elphaba likes. _It can't be! _

**(Fiyero): **_**"You're good." **_

**Fiyero strolled causally from his place near the statue where he'd been observing the conversation with mild amusement. Galinda giggled again and faked obliviousness. **

**(Galinda): **_**"I have no idea what you're talking about. But I do happen to be free tonight. So?" **_

**(Fiyero): **_**"So, I'll be picking you up around eight?" **_

**He quirked an eyebrow at her in a flirting way and began slowly walking up to her. **

**(Galinda): **_**"After all. Now that we've met one another." **_

**(Both): **_**"It's clear we deserve each other." **_

**(Galinda): **_**"You're perfect." **_

**(Fiyero): **_**"You're perfect." **_

**(Both): **_**"So we're perfect together. Born to be forever-" **_

**(All): **_**"DANCING THROUGH LIFE!" **_

**He took a hold of her and swung her outward with a grand flourish. **

**The image changed again, this time to both Elphaba and Nessarose in the younger girl's room, the older sister complaining loudly to her. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"It's absurd! This silly rich boy appears and everybody's off to worship him at some, cultish social gathering!" **_

**(Nessarose): **_**"Even me! Isn't it exciting?" **_

**The young girls face was the picture of joy, checks flushed, eyes shining, smile nearly splitting her tragically beautiful face. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"Boq was too shy to ask me at first, but once Galinda incourigarised him-"**_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Galinda!" **_

**The more colourful girl interrupted rudely, echoing her in disbelief. Her sister held up a hand to stop her, her expression becoming serious. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"Don't! Don't you dare say another word against her. I'm about to have the first happy night of my life, THANKS to Galinda!" **_

**Her serious expression melted back into its original, busting with joyfully anticipation. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"Finally for this one night, I'm about to have a fun night, with this Munchkin boy, Galinda found for me. And I only wish there were, something I could do for her! To repay her. Elphaba see? We deserve each other, me and Boq!" **_

**She grasped her sister's hands in her own as though to transfer understanding to her by touch. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"Elphaba try to understand?" **_

**The older sister sighed and knelt down to the other girl's level, visibly putting on a sincere face while doing so. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"I do." **_

I smiled at the remembrance of that night. I was so terribly excited. It had been the first party I'd ever been invited to, as me, not the governor's daughter. I'd been so happy and it turns out it had all been for nothing. I felt my expression harden. _No! Not for nothing! He LOVES me! Boq loves me! He has too! _

**The image rearranged to show Galinda with her two friends in her shared dorm, getting ready for the party. **

**(Galinda): "**_**Zip me up. I must accessorize myself for Fiyero." **_

**The bubbly blonde turned her back to Shen, wearing a short, bright fuchsia dress with a heavily ruffled bubble skirt. Meanwhile Pfanne was sorting through ta tall stack of hat boxes stacked up in a far corner, grabbing a striped black and white one near the bottom and prying off the lid to peek inside. **

**(Pfannee): **_**"Galinda! What in Oz name?" **_

**She reached in and lifted out a bizarre tall, black pointed hat out, discarding the box on the floor as she did so. The blondes face visible blanched. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh! Pretend you didn't see that!" **_

A few murmurs went round the room as a few of the students recognised the funny hat Elphaba had begun wearing since that first night at the Oz dust, myself among them.

**The dainty blonde marched over and snatched the hat out of her friends grasp, holding it feebly as though afraid it would hurt her. **

**(Galinda): **_**"My granny is always sending me the most hideous hats! I'd give it away, but I don't hate anyone that much. **_

"Oh so I'll sure to tell your grandmother what you think of her presents when we see her next shall I?" Mr. Upland called out from his seat next his wife in front of the king and queen. I saw Galinda blush in her seat, shaking her head furiously.

**The blonde's two friends swapped delighted grins with each other before bursting out at the same time. **

**(Pfannee & Shenshen): "**_**Yes you do!" **_

**It took a moment before their words sank and a sly smile flitted across her face. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh no, I couldn't! Could I?" **_

**Footsteps echoed down the hall and the other two girls gave her one last snug expression, whispering **_**"Yes"**_** to her before disappearing out of the room, escaping just in time before their friends green room-mate made her entrance. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Galinda listen, Nessa and I were just talking about you-" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"And I was just talking about you. I thought you might wanna wear this hat to the party tonight." **_

There was a wave of quiet laughter through of the part of the room where all of our class-mates were seated as everyone suddenly realized exactly just where Elphaba HAD gotten that weird hat, and why. Including the dainty girl's mother it seemed. Then suddenly-

"GALINDA UPLAND!" This time the perky blonde girl nearly did fall out of her seat in surprise, Elphaba snigger quietly beside her. She visibly gulped at looked at her furious mother nervously. Mrs. Upland open moth to shout at her again but another voice called out, seemingly from nowhere before she could speak, cutting her off.

"Save it for the half time break!" I recognised Sorrow's quiet voice, ringing with humour and apparently so did Mrs. Upland because she soon sank back down into her seat, only to turn round upon being tapped on the shoulder by the queen and the two seemed to begin talking quietly between themselves, one eye each still on the moving image in front of them.

_Probably discussing their children's manners, or lack of therefore. _I thought humorously to myself. Voices to my side caught my attention and I looked over to see the girl in question pulling herself ungracefully back into her seat, Elphaba still smiling at one side of her and Fiyero looking sympathetic from the other.

"You know you could of helped me there you know?" Elphaba nodded slowly. "I know, but where would be the fun in that?" The blonde pouted at her causing her to roll her eyes classically.

"Oh come on! Howe often is it that I actually get to enjoy myself at others expenses for once? Usually it's the other way around!" The shorter girl nodded reluctantly and beside her, Fiyero gave her an upset look over his girlfriend's head, anger underlining his features ever so slightly.

_Since when did Fiyero get upset on Elphaba's behalf? _I wondered fleetingly before my attention was recaptured by the images on the wall.

**(Galinda): **_**"It's really um, sharp. Don't cha think? And you know black, is this year's pink. You deserve each other, this hat and you. You deserve each other, you're both so, smart." **_

**The blonde fumbled for a minute, trying to find a complement for both her usual room-mate and the equally strange item of clothing. **

**(Galinda): **_**"You deserve each other, so here! Out of the goodness of my heart!" **_

**She handed the colourful girl the odd hat before skipping out of the room leaving her to ponder over the strange gift alone. **

**The image changed again to the scene of the party, showing the wide array of students dressed in their best, the girls in lavishing ball gowns of every shape, size, colour and texture, the boy in dashing suites, mostly dark. The image narrowed in briefly on Galinda and Fiyero in the center of the chaos, her in the same dress as before, him in a deep burgundy tuxedo before focusing on Boq and Nessarose hovering by the side-lines, near the punch table, clearly fishing for something to talk about. **

I remembered that moment as well as I remembered the rest of that wonderful night, putting the awkward ness down to first date jitters. _And that's all it was! _I continued to tell myself constantly.

**(Nessarose): **_**"What's in the punch?" **_

**The wheelchair bound girl inquired, more to break the ice than because she was actually curious about it. The reply was practically automatic. **

**(Boq): **_**"Melons and lemons and pears." **_

**(Nessarose): **_**"Oh my." **_

**Boq seemed to be battling internally with himself before he finally seemed to reach an conclusion, his conscience winning him over. **

**(Boq): **_**"Listen Nessa." **_

**(Nessarose): **_**"Yes." **_

**He confidence faltered for a moment before he picked up again. **

**(Boq): **_**"Nessa. I've got something to confess a reason why, well. Why I asked you hear tonight. And I know it isn't fair." **_

**(Nessarose): **_**"Oh Boq. I know why." **_

**The crippled girl tragically beautiful face fell as realisation sunk in and she cast her head down pitifully. **

**(Boq): **_**"You do?" **_

**(Nessarose): **_**"Yes. It's because I'm in this chair, and you felt sorry for me. Well isn't that right?" **_

**Her looked up at him imploringly. **

**(Boq): **_**"What no. It's because. Um. Because." **_

**He fumbled for a believably explanation that wouldn't hurt the girl's feelings. Then just suddenly, it seemed inspiration hit him. **

**(Boq): **_**"Because you are so beautiful!" **_

**(Nessarose): **_**"Oh Boq! I think you're wonderful! And we deserve each other, don't you see this is our chance?" **_

**The pretty girls face lit up brightly and she gave him and adoring look, while his eyes still trailed after the twirling blonde dancing with the prince across the room. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"We deserve each other, don't we Boq?"**_

_Say yes! Say YES! _I wanted to scream at him from seat my seat but only held back knowing it was useless. It had already happened, nothing could change that. _Or could it? _My eyes combed the darkness around us, searching out the narrow form of our captor. Didn't say something about the whole point of this being to change to future or something like that? _Then maybe I can find a way to make him love me more! I will, I will! _

**(Boq): **_**"You know what? Let's dance!" **_

**The Munchkin boy skirted the question cunningly. The girl just looked at him in disbelief and just a little bit of hurt, as if wondering if he was forgetting the obvious on purpose. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"What?!" **_

**(Boq): **_**"Let's dance!" **_

**He grabbed a hold of the back of the wheel chair and pulled her into the crowd of dancers spinning her slightly as he did so. He let go and proceeded to dance around her, her copying his hand movements as he did so, enjoying being able to take part in an activity that was usually beyond her. **

**The image pulled out and focused instead on the plumpy form of Madam Morrible making her away across the dance floor, avoiding the crowds of twirling students as she approached Miss Galinda who was now standing off to one side with the prince, presumably catching their breath. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Miss Upland!" **_

**The blonde looked, astonished to see her teacher in such a lively and happy place, her manner momentarily forgotten. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Madam Morrible! What are you doing here?" **_

**The teacher didn't seem fazed by the question, instead just reluctantly handed over a thin sliver stick the girl, looking like she wished to be anywhere but where she was right then. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"I just came to give you this my dear." **_

**(Galinda): **_**"A training wand! Oh Madam, how can I ever repay my gratitution!" **_

**The teacher simply glared at her, as though fighting the temptation to roll her eyes at the student's perkiness. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Don't thank me, this was your room-mates idea!" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"What! Elphaba?" **_

**The astonished, joyful look of her face, morphed into one of astonishment and confusion. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Yes, she requested that I include you in my scourey class, or she would quit the seminar! **_

**(Galinda): **_**"But why?" **_

_That's a good question. _I gave Elphaba as questioning look across from other, after I'd caught her attention and she answered me with a simple shrug.

"I just thought about what you'd said about her and wanting to do something for her in return and decided to take it to heart, after all, if she helped you, even if her motives weren't entirely pure hearted." She paused to give the blonde a scaving look for some reason. "Then she couldn't be that bad and I knew how badly she wanted to get into the seminar so I figure at the time that it would be the best way to repay her on your behalf." _That does kinda explain it. _Whatever she was going to say next was lost as the blonde let of a squeal of "OH Elphie!" and launched herself on her, hugging her tightly, muttering something that sounded like, "Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I zoned out after the fifth "Thank you" leaving Elphaba to wriggle free of her friends crushing grip by herself and focused back on the moving picture.

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"I have no idea! It is my personal opinion that you do not have what it takes. I hope you prove me wrong, I doubt you will!" **_

**She spat the words out like they were poison on her lounge and turned and stalked away without another word, leaving a bewildered Galinda in her wake. **

Mrs. Upland growled in her seat at the teachers rudely and poor attitude towards her daughter.

**(Fiyero): **_**"What is it?" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"I got what I wanted." **_

**Fiyero strolled up to her calmly and she looked down on her new wand, looking strangely downcast. She answered him uncertainly. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Then what's wrong?" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"Nothing. Nothing at all." **_

**She shook of her guilt and shoved it away, allowing him to take her hand and pull her back onto the dance floor, spinning her with well-practiced ease. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Then let's dance!" **_

**They joined the throng of glittering dancer, twirling happily, the image following them, until the music suddenly broke off and the floor filled with infectious laughter. The image zoomed out to reveal Elphaba stood on the bottom step of main stairs case in a simple grey, sleeveless frock, the ridiculous pointy hat sat perch on her head and the resting the room pointed at her, rocking with laughter at her expense. Galinda and Fiyero hung at the back. **

The coldness of Mrs. Upland's glare was pathable from all the way at the back of the room and Galinda gave Elphaba an apologetic glance, ridden with guilt almost identical to the one her image-self on the wall was wearing, watching with Fiyero form the back of the crowd.

**(Fiyero): **_**"Who in Oz is that?" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"My room-mate, please don't stare!" **_

**She reverted her guilt ridden gaze while Fiyero openly gawped beside her. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"How can you help it?" **_

"FIYERO!" The queen's indignant shout called across form the row's on front, making him sink even further down into his seat in embarrassment. _I think those two are gonna look like tomato's at this rate, by the times this is finished! _

**The laughter died down as Elphaba snatched the awful hat off of her head and her gaze found Galinda hiding at the back of the crowd with the prince. Something in her eyes hardened and she lifted the ridiculously accessory back on to her head defiantly before taking the last step down the stair case and walking calmly into the middle of the room, the other students parting around her, watching curiously, the majority holding back sniggers. **

**She stopped on the center of the room and began to move her arms in a flailing fashion, body jerking oddly on occasion. It was several moments before people realized that she was trying to dance. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Well I'll say this much. She doesn't give a twig of what anyone else thinks about her." **_

**The price observed her from his place beside Galinda at the far side of the crowd while Galinda stared ahead, looking strangely heartbroken. She sighed. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Of course she does. She just pretends not too." **_

The whole room fell completely silent, every face turning in our direction, eyes seeking out the green oddity herself who seemed to be trying to sink desperately back into her seat, hating all the sudden attention. The general crowd finally got bored and turned their focus back to the wall, their expression unreadable, some taking longer than others.

**(Galinda): **_**"I felt awful." **_

**(Fiyero): **_**"Why? It's not like it's your fault?" **_

**The prince inquired curiously, while Galinda looked down at the wand in her hands, battling internally with herself. **

_He has no idea how wrong he is! _My gaze wondered to Elphaba who was just pulling herself up in her seat, face darkening with humiliation. _Still, it's not like anyone asked her to stick around at that thing. The sensible thing to do would have been to leave after she realized what she'd walked into. So any embarrassment that happened after that is her own fault really! _

**Something finally seemed to click in the blonde girl's mind because she turned around and handed her wand to Fiyero before walking across the dance floor towards the other, stranger girl. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Excuse me." **_

**She stopped hesitantly beside Elphaba and all eyes in the room fell on the odd two. **

**(Galinda): **_**"May I cut in?" **_

**The blonde girl began to awkwardly copy the green girl's movements as the she eyed her suspiciously, expecting another trick. This carried on for a moment before Elphaba seemed to realize that the blonde would never do anything that would risk embracement like this. Excepting her sincerity, she began to dance with her, mimicking the blonde as she morphed the other girls awkward movements into a sort of graceful waltz and the two began to glide around each other slowly. After another moment Fiyero slipped forward to join him, the rest of the students following and soon everyone in the room was involved in the graceful dance, Elphaba, Galinda and Fiyero in the center. **

**(Students): **_**"Dancing through life, down at the Oz dust, only because dust is what we come too! And the strange thing, your life could end up changing!" **_

**The outward circle of students twirled outwards before spinning back in, arms extended towards the trio in the middle and the dance came to an end. **

**(Students): **_**"As your dancing, through!" **_

**The image darkened and began to change again. **

_She's lucky Galinda covered for her like she did. _I sat back in my seat, watching as the whole room broke off into hushed whispers, the odd giggle being thrown in from the students as they talked about that night in little clusters. I eyed the man, dressed in an odd tan-green coat next to Morrible.

_Elphaba's father. _How odd that felt. But I bit my lip, keeping my promise to mother for now, trusting that all would be revealed in time. I fidgeted impatiently. _Well it had better happen soon….._

**Well that's it, again sorry it took so long, the next one should be up normal time. So, who's it gonna be this time? I'm trying to offer some different Pov's for a change. Any suggestions? **

**Galinda's Mother? **

**Madam Morrible? **

**Pfanne? **

**Or Sorrow? **

**I do have a copy of the book but haven't read it yet so I'm making up names for Galinda and Fiyero's parents and Family. **


	8. Popular

**And finally, here's chapter eight. I apologise for the posting so late again but I've been in a bit of low mood. My mom and I found out on the Friday before I was due to post this that a very old family friend of ours has died very suddenly and it kinda of spoiled my enthusiasm for a week or so. But the show must go on and it would be cruel to keep you guys any longer. I'd like to dedicate this chapter to our fallen friend, the good memories we have of him and his brilliant sense of humour, to treasure for as long as they last. **

**I've had quite a wide range of different votes this time, but the winner for this chapter was (drum roll please)….. Mrs. Upland! So here's a shout out to all you guys who enjoyed watching Galinda squirm in the previous chapter, it's about to get a little bit worse, then a little bit better, then just somewhere in between: ElphieIsPopular, WickedlyTalentedToni, Doglover645 & iamgoku! Dave, this one's for you! May it being you tears of joy and may it make you fall of your seat and piss yourself with laughter, where ever you are…. **

**Chapter Eight – **

**Mrs. Upland's POV **

I eyed the back row curious from my seat as I spoke with Vanessa quietly. Form what I could see Galinda was joking about something with that green skinned girl on screen, _Elphaba I believe_ and the two were laughing quietly together while her that boy, Fiyero listened in over my sweeties shoulder. How strange it was to see the two talking so causally together after seeing how they behaved towards one another to begin with. Of course, I already knew that the two of them had become friends of sorts recently, despite not getting along at first, from the letters Galinda sends home, but seeing the transformation first hand was something quite different. I felt Vanessa poke me lightly in the arm, getting my attention.

"I think it's starting again." The queen nodded to the moving shapes of the wall in front of us, already lightening again. It was all I needed to be told before reverting my attention forward again, nudging Henor as I did so to make sure he was focusing too.

**The image cleared again to show Elphaba and Galinda each sitting on their opposite beds back in their dorm, clearly just back from the party, the bouncy blonde hugging a pillow resting in her lap, giggling as though just hearing a really funny joke. **

**It was painfully obvious which side the room was whose, one bed draped in fancy embroidered and fluffy blankets in every possible shade of pink. A tall shoe rank hung on the wall next to it, between the bed and wardrobe, filled to the brink with heel of every colour and shape. The side opposite was plain and just a little bit drab, plain, thin grey-black blanket over the twin bed, a couple of books furnishing the desk on the far side but otherwise the space was completely bare.**

**(Galinda): **_**"You're first party ever?" **_

**The dainty girl asked as though expecting her room-mate to simply laugh back in response. She bounced up and down, sit sat on her bed, making the frill on the end of the blanket hang over the bed wag up and down with the movement. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Do funerals count?"**_

I would have laughed too at the absurdity of the situation if not for sincerity in the girl's voice. _The poor, confused little thing. _

**There was no sarcasm in her voice for once, just a plain, very mild curiosity. Her companion's expression morphed into astonishment when she realized the other girl was being serious. **

**(Galinda): **_**"But you're very first party?" **_

**She blinked at her, dumbfounded for a moment. Then she became excited again, legs kicking from the side of the bed. **

**(Galinda): **_**"I know! Let's each tell the other a secret we've never told anyone, I'll go first!" **_

**She hopped of the bed and skipped across the room, jumping up onto Elphaba's bed, perching behind her. She leaned forward, oblivious as to how uncomfortable she was making the other girl, who was clearly not used to very much physical contact, by being so close. **

I frowned at that. _I must talk to her about remembering her manner and minding other people's personal spaces when this is over. _

**(Galinda): **_**"One day, Fiyero and I are going to be married!" **_

There came a loud spluttering from across the room, behind us and we all looked round to see Fiyero coughing heavily into his palm, his face bright red. Elphaba was sniggering beside my baby, who was looking rather sheepish beside him.

**The green girl clamped her hand over her eyes as the blonde shrieked, hopping off the other girl's bed and racing back across to her own, burying her head in the pillow, screaming into it. When she finished she flipped back upright again, and hoped back onto her roommate's bed, looking at Elphaba expectantly. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"He's asked you already?!" **_

**She asked in surprise, while Galinda just gave her a strange look before replying simply. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh no. he doesn't know yet." **_

**Elphaba visibly held back an eye roll. **

There was a round of hearty laughter from almost all the rows, particularly the older ones.

**(Galinda): "**_**Okay now you tell me a secret!" **_

**She nodded cheerfully. Elphaba looked to be getting genuinely curious now. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Like what?" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"Like….." **_

**Galinda leaned back slightly and one slim hand slid under the flat, grey pillow behind her. She grasped something small and green, lifting it clear and dangling it above the green girls head teasingly. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Why do you always sleep with this funny little green bottle under your pillow?" **_

I recognised the strange, little, green drink bottle that the stranger Melena had danced with in my little angles hand. Apparently I wasn't the only one. There was several loud gasps from various people in the other rows, Vanessa included and the Governor himself was grave faced, turning ever so slightly red.

**(Elphaba): **_**"Give that back!" **_

**The emerald skinned green made to grab the object back from the nosey blond, but the shorter girl leapt away, off the bed still somehow holding it out of the taller girls reach, tauntingly. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Please tell me!" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Give it back!" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"Tell me!" **_

**The green girl followed the dainty blond across the room and made another grab for her prize, managing the grip it and pull it free form the other girls grip. **

**(Elphaba): **_**IT WAS MY MOTHERS!" **_

**She held it closely to her chest while her companion stared at her blankly. **

**(Elphaba): "**_**That's all." **_

I felt a small wave of pity for the girl. _Yes her colouring isn't particularly appealing but it's not her fault. _

**She whispered the last words, mostly to herself. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Well that's not fair, I told you a really good one!" **_

**The blond pouted at her before throwing herself dramatically onto her bed as though crying. Her roommate sat down on her own bed, looking down at her hands for a moment as if contemplating something before, finally she spoke. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"My father hates me." **_

**A loud gasp came from Galinda who lent up immediately at the blunt statement. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"That's not the secret!" **_

**There was a quiet thump as the short girl slumped back on her front. Elphaba rolled her eyes very briefly before returning her gaze to her and, shame creeping across her face. **

**(Elphaba): **_**The secret is, he has a good reason. It's my fault." **_

**Galinda got up off her bed and walked over to the other girl. **

**(Galinda): **_**"What? What is?" **_

**She perched back down the edge of the bed behind her again. The green girl hesitated for another moment. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"That Nessa is…." **_

**She paused for a brief second. **

**(Elphaba): "**_**The way that she is." **_

I could feel the curiosity of the whole room intensify at the statement and all the heads I could see in the rows in front of me in the dark perked up in interest. It was common knowledge about the Governor's youngest daughter's crippledness but yet nobody ever seemed to actually know its cause.

I looked over my shoulder to see the Governor himself stiffen, the first sign on emotion he had shown since his last beating from his former wife. My gaze wondered to the two girls in the spotlight and saw Elphaba looking horrified at what was being revealed, while my little girl entwined her forearm with my own and held her hand tightly in silent comfort. The girl in question was staring at her sister's trembling form in confusion.

All eyes turned to follow the image eagerly when "Elphaba" spoke again.

**Elphaba straightened up and turned slightly to face Galinda as she continued her story. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"You see, when our mother was carrying Nessa, our father became worried that the new baby might come out…." **_

**She paused again. Hands lifting in an almost shrugging gesture. Galinda nodded slowly. **

**(Both): **_**"Green." **_

A few of the students in the rows in front sniggered.

**(Elphaba): **_**"He became so worried that he had our mother chewing milk flowers day and night but, they made Nessa come too soon, and her little legs got all tangled... and our mother, never woke up." **_

A hum of conversation broke out amongst the crowds. Again most people knew that the governor's wife had died in childbirth but no details were made public, even through gossip. Several people now began to do just that, eagerly tearing apart this new information among themselves.

**Confusion was slowly dawning on Galinda's face. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"All of which would never had happened if not for me." **_

The hum increased and several people in including myself and Vanessa turned in their seats to give the Governor scathing or disgusted looks. Nessarose herself was staring at her sister looking sick. Elphaba was cringing in on herself looking almost the same as her image, head hung down in shame. My little angle had her arms wrapped around the poor girl's shoulders, while Fiyero was glaring daggers at Frex from his seat beside her, fingers digging into the arm ends of his seat in a death grip. His wife, _Melena wasn't it, _was visibly boiling with rage, giving her lost husband a deadly glare from her seat between her daughters. Henor huffed in disgust beside me, giving Elphaba a pitying look. He was not the only one who did so. After a couple of moments the room quietened down as people began to ether remember our strange hostess and her noise level request or just simply ran out of things to say to one another at that very minute.

**Elphaba's head hung low, her long black hair forming a curtain hiding her face from view. Galinda reached out a hand a placed it tentatively on her shoulder, making her look up. **

**(Galinda): **_**"But, that was the milk flowers fault. Not yours." **_

**She removed her hand and pulled herself closer to her. **

**(Galinda): **_**"That may be your secret Elphaba but, that doesn't make it true." **_

I almost smiled at my daughter's funny logic, but my mood was still recovering.

**A pregnant silence filled the dorm and Galinda looked over at the single window in the middle of the wall on the far side and perked up as the first gentle rays of sunlight began to slowly creep along the window sill. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh look! It's tomorrow!" **_

**She got to her feet and made back towards her own bed but stopped halfway there, eyes still focus on the view outside. **

**(Galinda): **_**"And Elphie." **_

**She gasped in delight when she realized what she'd said. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Is it alright if I call you Elphie?" **_

**Elphaba corrected her quickly. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Well it's a little perky." **_

**The blond carried on oblivious. **

**(Galinda): **_**"And you can call me, GALINDA!" **_

**She spoke her name slowly, as if talking to a child. **

There was another ripple of laughter from the students, but not unpleasantly so and I felt a genuine smile tug at my lips, my mood slowly improving.

**(Galinda): **_**"Elphie, now that we're friends, I've decided to make you my new project!" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"You really don't have to do that." **_

**Elphaba interrupted her quickly, beginning to look rather nervous. **

A few chuckles came from some of the older students, Including Fiyero and that Goat teacher, doctor something, I noticed as I glance briefly over my shoulder.

**(Galinda): **_**"I know. That's what makes me so nice." **_

**There was no sarcasm in her tone, just genuine honestly, as though she actually meant and believed what she was saying**

There was a bout of real laughter across the room, coming from multiple sources.

**(Galinda): **_**"Whenever I see someone less fortunate than I, and let's face it, who isn't, less fortunate than I? My tender heart tends to start to bleed." **_

**Her face momentarily took on a tender look. **

**(Galinda): **_**"And when someone needs a makeover, I simply have to take over. I know, I know, exactly what they need. And even in your case." **_

**She walked back over to the other girl and plucked her glasses off of her face, studying her as she blinked blindly. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Though it's the toughest case I've yet to face." **_

A few more sniggers echoed round the room. I tried not to smile through my frown. My daughter really was a little angel MOST of the time but she really could be a tiny, little too blunt sometimes, without realizing it.

**She seemed to decide that the green girl was better off with them, being able to see at least see clearly, because she plopped them back on her nose after a moment. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Don't worry, I'm determined to succeed. Follow my lead." **_

**The pretty blond climbed back to her feet yet again, her sudden movement causing the other girl on the bed to bounce slightly. **

**(Galinda): **_**"And yes, indeed. You, will, be. Popular." **_

There was a burst of laughter from the students in the rows in front and few of them began whispering comments between themselves. I glimpsed the girl herself cringing slightly again from her seat while my baby blinked confusifiedly beside her, not seeing the humour in the situation.

**(Galinda): **_**"You're gonna be popular. I'll teach you the proper ploys, when you talk to boys, little ways to flirt and flounce." **_

**She twirled one of her golden curl around one finger, flicked it out with the rest of her short, flaxen locks. She actually squeaked in delight as she envisioned her next project, grabbing Elphaba's hand and pulling her across the room and flinging her onto her own, frilly bed. **

**(Galinda): **_**"I'll teach you what shoes to where, how to fix that hair." **_

**She leapt once again back onto the bed behind her roommate again and gripped her long, black braid, forcefully pulled it loose and flicked it out so that it flowed freely over her shoulders. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Everything that really counts to be popular. I'll help you be popular!" **_

**She clapped her hands together, skipping merrily back and forth across the room. **

**(Galinda): **_**"You'll hang with the right cohorts, you'll be good at sports, know the slang you've got to know." **_

**She hid a cringe behind a smile, turning back to her protégée." **

**(Galinda): **_**"So let's start, cus you've got an awfully long way to go!" **_

More laughs erupted from the audience and I heard Vanessa chuckling behind me.

**(Galinda): **_**"Don't be offended by my frank analysis, think of it as personality dialysis." **_

**She hoped up behind her again, gripping her shoulder and leant over her twice on each side. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Now that I've chosen to become a pal, a sister and adviser, there's nobody wiser, not when it comes to popular." **_

**Galinda realised her grp on her and sat back on her haunches. **

**(Galinda): **_**"I know about popular. And with an assist from me, to be who you'll be, instead of dreary who you were (Cough) are!"**_

**Elphaba gave her the smallest of glares over her shoulder for a brief second. Galinda covered her slight slip up by carrying on enthusiastically. **

**(Galinda): **_**"There's nothing that can stop you, from becoming popular!" **_

**The blond got up and pranced around the room, bursting with energy. **

**(Galinda): "Lar? LA LA, LA LA! We're gonna make you popular!" **

**She squealed again and returned to her perch behind her, hugging her tightly from behind, almost choking her obliviously. **

**(Galinda): **_**"When I see depressing creatures, with unprepossessing features, I remind them on their own behalf, to, think, of, celebrated heads of state or specially great communicators. Did they have brains for knowledge? Don't make me laugh!" **_

**The blond giggled manically into her palm. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Don't! They were popular! It's all about popular! It's not about aptitude, it's the way you're viewed, so it's very shrewd to be, very, very popular, like, me!" **_

I bit back laughter at my daughters over bubbly behaviour. My husband had no such revelations and was chuckling openly along with most of the other people in the room.

**(Elphaba): **_**"This is never going to work." **_

**The green girl stated, smiling slightly to herself as she pried herself free from the blonde's grasp. **

**(Galinda): "Oh Elphie!"**

**She jumped up again and sauntered over to her closet and shoe rack, surveying them eagerly. **

**(Galinda): **_**"You mustn't think like that anymore! Your whole life is going to change! And all, because, of, ME!" **_

**She turned suddenly and skipped back over to the bed, placing her palms flat on the mattress and kicking her legs out behind her excitedly. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Okay. First, hair. This is how you toss your hair." **_

**She flicked her own golden curls back and forth over her shoulder with practiced precision. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Toss, toss!" **_

A loud snort sounded somewhere behind us and myself, Henor, the king and queen and all in our row's turned to see Fiyero quickly covering his amusement with a faked coughing fit and my sweetie looked at him in surprise.

**(Galinda): **_**"Now you try." **_

**The other girl looked at her reluctantly before complying with her wishes and attempted a half-hearted try as flicking her own long, dark hair back and forth awkwardly over her own bony shoulders with considerably less effect than the dainty blonde girl. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Toss, toss." **_

**(Galinda): **_**"No, no. Like this." **_

**She demonstrated her flick again. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Toss, toss." **_

**The girl in the frilly pink dress looked at her companion expectantly, who pulled a face but did as she silently asked and tried again. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Toss, toss." **_

**The effect or lack thereof was mostly the same. The blonde girl waved her hands somewhat awkwardly brushing off any further attempts the other girl might have made, producing her wand from somewhere under her multitude of pink blankets. **

I frowned again and turned in my seat, raising my voice slightly to call over to her in the back with her friends. "I hope that's not where you've been keeping that this whole time!"

The redness creeping up my daughters face was all the answer I needed. _I do wish she would take more care of important things like that. How is she ever going to get herself taken seriously if she doesn't? I raised a lady, not a slob! _

**(Galinda): **_**"Yes well, you'll practice. And now I shall turn your simple frock, into a magnificent ball-gown." **_

**She waved her roommate into the middle of the room and pointed the thin silver stick at her, holding it firmly. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Ball-gown!" **_

**She shouted, waving the wand in her slim hand. Elphaba eyed her warily as nothing happened. The blonde looked annoyed as she tapped her wand against her palm and pointed it at her roommate again, shouting even louder. **

**(Galinda): **_**"BALL-GOWN!" **_

**Elphaba visibly jumped while Galinda wacked her wand roughly against her leg in frustration. **

I scrunched up my nose in distaste as she man-handled the delicate object.

**(Galinda): **_**"Argh! It think this thing is broken!" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Do you want to me try?" **_

**She took a step towards her, holding out a hand for the wand which the blonde quickly shoved behind her back, forcing a care-free smile on her pretty face. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh just where the frock, it's pretty. And now for the finishing touch." **_

**She pulled out the fuchsia coloured flower hair clip that matched her dress from her hair as Elphaba sat back down on the bed and sat down next to her now almost friend. The other girl jumped slightly when she felt the blonde run her short, dainty fingers through her ebony lengths, smoothing them down before sliding the flower clip in place at the top. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh! Pink goes good with green. Who knew?" **_

**She lifted a hand-held mirror from her bedside table, studying her finished project as she did so, seemingly quite pleased with her handy-work. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Why, Miss Elphaba, look at you. You're beautiful." **_

I looked over the image myself and realized with great surprise that my little girl was right. The oddly coloured girl did seem to in fact possess a strange kinda of beauty, elegant in her own sort of way. I could my surprise reflected in several of the people around us, one or two actually muttering something that sounded very close to complements under their breathes.

**Galinda handed the mirror to Elphaba who eyed her curiously, clearly expecting a trick or rude comment to come after her last statement to turn into a joke, before her eyes moved onto the mirror. She eyes lost their guarded expression and traded it in for one of surprise, clearly not expecting her own reflection to be so different than usual, let alone actually somewhat pleasing. This openness held for another moment before the spell was broken and the social outcast regained her senses, handing the mirror back to Galinda and getting up off the bed quickly. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"I….I have to go!" **_

**She didn't wait for an answer before she fled the room leaving her roommate trailing after her. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Wait." **_

**The blonde made to go after but caught sight of her own reflection in the mirror she still held in her hand before she got further than half way across the room and became distracted by it. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Hello." **_

**She gave up on her chase and let the other girl go, walking back to her bed continuing to talk to her as though she were still there, steps bouncing hyperactively. **

**(Galinda): **_**"And though you protest, your disinterest. I know you're gonna grin and bare it, your new found popularity." **_

**She giggled and hoped onto the bed still clutching the mirror in one hand, singing to herself. **

**(Galinda): **_**"La la, La la! You'll be popular. Just not quite as popular, as, MEEEEE!" **_

**She threw herself back onto her tall volume pile of pillows, holding the mirror out in front of her in her hand, eyeing her own reflection vainly for another moment before giving way completely, sinking into the thick, fluffy bed cover which partially hid her from view. **

**The image went dark and began to rearrange itself again. **

The audience broke out into whispers among themselves and I turned back to Vanessa, to discuss the most recent showing while we waited for the next revelations to reveal themselves.

**So, did I put enough funny moments in there to balance out the serious? I know I said this before but I actually mean it this time, I'll have the next one up two up within a few days each to make up for being so late for the last few times, to get us on back on schedule. So, next up is "I'm not that girl". I've personally been dying to do Fiyero for this one because I think it'll be so great to see what he thinks about discovering her crush on him just as he's coming to terms with his on her, but, it IS up to you guys, as the voters to decide. I'm giving you a few other different POV's to choose from as well. Let's see how many people agree with me shall we? The first name to get three votes takes the chapter! **

**Fiyero **

**Galinda **

**Vanessa (The Queen) **

**Shenshen **

**Again, the quicker I get enough answers, the quicker I can write it and get it up. SS **


	9. I'm not that girl

**So here's chapter nine then, thanks to everyone who all reviewed so quickly, saving my ass, yet again! I promise not to let you down again and have number ten up, on time by this Sunday as planned. Here's a shout out to all you die-hard Fiyero girls again: trey28, ElphieIsPopular, Doglover645, Hedgehog of Time, Anonymous Guest and Frostbite! **

**Chapter Nine **

**Fiyero's POV **

I leaned back in my seat, still chucking to myself at Elphaba's frightened face as Galinda had dolled her up. If I hadn't seen her the following day in class myself I'd have never have believed it possible, Elphaba had always seemed so stubborn. It was almost laughable that she would have actually allowed the bouncy blonde to man handle her like that. The after effect, I had to admit though was actually quiet pleasing. I'd never thought her ugly, not even when we first met, but seeing her as she was after Galinda's meddling, hair down and face not hidden by behind glass lenses or the constant guarded expression she always wore when faced with other people. Something I'd only ever seen once before. She looked, dare I say it, beautiful.

"Well, that was humiliating." Elphaba voice spoke quietly from over Galinda beside me. Her mother burst into laughter from her space between her two daughters. We all looked at her strangely. She managed to calm herself after a moment.

"Trust me, my sweetie, if you think THAT was bad, you're not gonna love what comes next!" she gave her eldest daughter a wink. "Did I ever tell that my POPPIES are favourite flowers?"

The question was so totally random that it made no sense to me and had even Elphaba blinking at her dumbly for a second. She seemed to get it eventually though because her face began to darken to that adorable, usual shade and her gorgeous brown eyes went very, very wide. Melena chuckled and leaned down to whisper something in her ear that made her face darken even more, the beginnings of red beginning to show beneath the green. It was an interesting contrast. She gaze flitted to mine and away again just as quickly. I ignored the mild stab of disappointment and turned my attention to the wall and the picture began to clear again.

**The image rearranged itself again to show the crowd of students slowly settling down for their next class in the history classroom. The picture narrowed in on Elphaba who was hovering off to the side who was practicing her hair toss boredly, unaware of Fiyero's slowly approaching form wandering over from the other side of the room. **

I felt a smile leak across my face. I remembered this day, very well. A few people in the front sniggered.

**(Elphaba): **_**"Toss, toss." **_

**Fiyero stopped just a few feet sort of her, watching with a bemused expression on his face. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Toss, toss. Ahh!" **_

**She visibly jumped when she noticed him hovering there, her face darkening slightly. **

I openly grinned. There was the blush!

**(Elphaba): **_**"What!?" **_

**She snapped at him. He didn't flinch and continued staring at her in amusement. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Nothing! (Laughing) It's just, you've been Galindafied!" **_

"What does that mean!?"

Galinda was giving me a sour look from next to me, her pink lower lip stuck out in a pout, arms crossed over her plump chest. I gave her a sheepish grin but was thankfully saved from having to answer by the emerald beauty herself when she nudged her lightly and whispered to her, just loud enough to me to catch what she was saying.

"Take it as a complement, it's like a name brand for all those posh clothes you buy, but for make-over treatments instead, like your calling card because your make-overs are just so special."

I was impressed by her ability to think up a plausible excuse so quickly. Galinda ate it up, giving me a firm hug, squealing loudly. I mouthed a "thank you" to Elphaba over her head. She smirked in reply but didn't say a word, choosing to turn back to the picture instead.

**He stopped chuckling long enough to give her a strangely calm glance. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"You don't need to do that you know." **_

_And I meant it. _I thought as I looked at her over my girlfriends head. Yes okay there were a couple of habits that I kinda of didn't mind Galinda encouraging her to do but that didn't mean she had to change everything about hers that made her herself. She wouldn't be Elphaba if she started wearing make up all the time, pretty clothing and took an interest in things like shopping, boys and all other things most other girls like Galinda did.

**His voice held no humour, only honest sincerity. Elphaba only had a moment to look up at him in surprise before the classes teacher entered the room, hobbling at a hurried pace causing all the students to scuttle to their seats, Elphaba among them taking her usual seat at the end, Fiyero dropping into the vacant one next to her. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Take your seats. Quiet, take your seats. I have something to say, and very little time." **_

**The elderly Goat stood shakily in front of the black board in the room's center, looking frazzled. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"My dear students. This is my last day teaching here at Shiz. Animals are no longer permitted to teach." **_

**Elphaba shot out of her seat and stood gawking at her favourite teacher in disbelief. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"What!" **_

Galinda tutted at her beside me. "Honestly, you and your temper!"

I just silently smirked to myself. I'd never admit it to anyone, even myself, but I found her temper rather attractive, the way her eyes lit up with that fierce fire when she got passionate about a cause or point. I loved watching her have a go at someone when they stepped out of line, or said something that she disagreed with, just as long as that person wasn't me!

**The professor made lowering motions with his hooves, looking at her regretfully. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Oh, Miss Elphaba." **_

**He began to wander towards the row of seats, eyes roaming over his students faces almost mournfully. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"And I would just like to thank you for sharing with me, your enthusiasm."**_

**He waved a hoof to the crowd in general. **

**He paused, one hoof held above a certain few and muttered, almost under his breath. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"However feebly structured." **_

There were a couple of incoherent murmurs across the rooms, seemingly coming mostly from said few students.

**He carried on quickly, shuffling back over to the other side of the room. He gaze fell upon Elphaba and softened slightly. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"And even, on occasion, your lunch." **_

Everyone in the room knew who the Goat was referring too. There few a coughs of "Teacher's pet" from the rows of students in front. I frowned but didn't speak out as I felt that odd feeling bubble up inside me again.

**He appeared ready to say more when Madam Morrible made her way swiftly into the room, closely followed by two large, thug looking men in white lab coats. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Oh Doctor, I'm so terribly sorry." **_

**The men grabbed a hold of the teacher roughly, one on either side of him. Elphaba shot up, out of her seat again, despite only just having returned to it. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Madam! You can't permit this!" **_

**The wrinkled old woman barely spare the increasingly agitated girl a glance. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"Don't worry about me, Miss Elphaba, they can take away my job but I shall continue speaking out!"**___

**(Man): **_**"Come on goat!" **_

I did actually feel a slight bit of anger rise up inside myself at seeing this mistreatment of the Goat, but out of habit, was careful not to show it on my face. _Nobody deserves to be treated like that. _

**The white-coated men began to drag the Animal out of the room, man-handling him as though he were a common animal. **

**The teacher's voice called out alarmed to his students before he was forcefully removed from the student's sight and so after, their hearing range. **

**(Dr. Dillamound): **_**"You're not being told the whole story, remember that class! Remember!" **_

There was a light stir across some of the older generations in the crowd, my parents I noticed and Galinda's, among them. I saw the Governor simply huff and turn away, uninterested. I remembered the harsh way he blamed Elphaba for her mother's death and her sister's disability to such an extent that she now did so herself and felt my blood continue to boil. It took all of self-control not to march up to him and knock him on his ass, like Melena herself did, several times so far, already.

**And just like that, he was gone. Elphaba called out after him again. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Doctor Dillamound!" **_

**She took a couple of steps in the direction of the retreating figures as if to go after them but stopped instead, choosing to spin round a give her class mates a desperate stare. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Well! Are we all just going to sit here, and do nothing?" **_

**Her tone was would have been accusing, but lacked any frightening effect because of the almost pleading look upon her face. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Miss Elphaba, I'm afraid there is nothing we can do." **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"But Madam!" **_

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Please dear, take your seat." **_

**The green girl did so reluctantly. Another, slightly slimmer but just as well built man entered the room through the door way behind Morrible, dressed in the same white lab coat as the other two, pushing a large metal trolley in front of him. **

**(New Teacher): **_**"Good morning class!" **_

**His voice was chipper and full of bounce. The class responded automatically, excluding Elphaba who simmered in silence, Madam Morrible among them, sounding strangely cheerful herself. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Good morning Doctor!" **_

I tried not to shudder at a cheerful sounding Morrible. _There are certain things in life that should just never be heard by normal ears that was one of them._

**(Students): **_**"Good morning Doctor!" **_

**The teacher pulled his trolley to a steady halt in front of on the black board and straightened his clothes before addressing the class as Madam Morrible quietly slipped out of the room, leaving the students to their studies. **

**(New Teacher): **_**"More and more, every day, with every tick of the time-dragon clock, in every corner of our great Oz, one hears the silence of progress." **_

**He grabbed the thin, ratty cloth covering the trolley and whipped it off with a flourish, revealing what was underneath. A trembling ball of yellowish fur was just visible behind thin metal bars, crouched in some sort of strange metal box, beside a tray of strange instruments. **

I eyed the horrid looking tools while the general rest of the crowd audience began to stir uneasily again. I heard a very quiet bleating from my left and looked over to see Dr. Dillamound himself trembling slightly, a hoof placed over him mouth, his eyes wide with dread, leant forward in his seat.

**(New Teacher): **_**"For example, this class, is called a cage. You'll be seeing a lot more of these in the future. This remarkable intention is actually for the animal's own good!" **_

**Elphaba shot up from her seat again, looking horrified and very angry. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"If it's so good for him, why is he shaking?" **_

**She demanded. The teacher gave her a dirty look for a brief second before the cheerful mask fell back into place again and he tossed out a quick reply. **

**(New Teacher): **_**"He's excited to be here, that's all!" **_

I very nearly snorted myself in contempt, but quickly caught myself and smothered it. Apparently it wasn't done quickly enough because I felt eyes on me and glanced around to see all eyes in our own private row as well as the two back rows of the main audience body resting on me and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable until they turned away. Galinda gave me a confused stare before, almost worried before she reverted her attention, while I noticed Elphaba looking at me with that same strange, unreadable look that she'd had in her eyes that very same day that was being portrayed on screen, when she'd seen through me in the poppy field, beyond the school grounds, where we'd run off to with that lion cub. I had a feeling that she was doing the same again and looking through me, past the walls and facade I'd put up years ago and after, holding her gaze for another moment, I looked away quickly, still unwilling to give away more of my mind set to this strange, enchanting girl I barely knew.

**(New Teacher): **_**"As I was saying students, one of the benefits of caging a lion cub this young is that he will never in fact, learn how to speak!" **_

Dr. Dillamound was literally perching on the edge of seat now, hooves digging into the end of the arm rests and Elphaba was not much different, only slightly better self-contained.

**Elphaba let out a gasp and shot up out of her seat yet again. Meanwhile the teacher took no notice of her and began waving the rest of the class forwards, towards him for a closer look. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Oh no!" **_

**(New Teacher): **_**"Yes that's right class, gather round. Gather round." **_

**Elphaba began talking, seemingly to herself, unaware of Fiyero's presents still standing uncertainly beside her. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Can you imagine a world where animals are kept in cages? And they never speak!" **_

**Behind them the new professor pick up a large syringe full of thick, yellow looking liquid. **

A few people hissed, and I spotted my mother turning away and burring her head in my father's shoulder, while he sat, cringing. My mother has always HATED needles!

**(New teacher): **_**"Well he does seem a little agitated, but that's easily remedied." **_

**He smacked his fist on the top of the cage, making the Animal cry out in terror and dropped even lower in the metal pen, full -on shaking from head to tail. **

Elphaba almost snarled in rage from her seat and looking at her, I'd have said that it was only her mother's gentle hand, gripping onto her shoulder and pulling her slowly back into her seat that kept her from leaping over the rows of seats to find the teacher that was responsible for the blow.

**(Elphaba): **_**"What are we gonna do?" **_

**This time her question was aimed directly at the prince still hovering near his seat beside her. His face was the picture of confusion. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"We?" **_

**She waved her hands about in the air in frustration. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Well somebody has to do, SOMETHING!" **_

**A flash of light sparked from her finger tips and a burst of magic leapt across the room, causing everyone else in the room to suddenly stop what they were doing and freeze, before jerking back as though pulled by invisible strings and throw themselves awkwardly around the room in a sort strange, morbid dance. **

A collective gasp went round the room, coming especially loud from the parents of the students, my own and Galinda's included, who had never seen Elphaba's magic in full swing before and a few of the students who remembered this day began to whisper nervously among themselves.

**(Fiyero): **_**"What's happening?" **_

**He stared, partly in fright, partly in awe at the strange sight that greeted him. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"I don't know, I got mad! And…." **_

**Elphaba appeared to be more surprised and ashamed than frightened by the display as she trailed of uncertainly. The teacher and students continued their jerky movements, nearly throwing themselves against the desks at one point. Fiyero seemed to snap out of his trace and make up his mind. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Well, don't move." **_

**He began to make his way through the waving crowd, nimbly dodging the flailing limbs, to the cage atop the trolley. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"And, don't get mad at me!" **_

I heard my father snigger from his seat and my mother pulled her head up at last to see what was going on. I caught his eye and he glanced over his shoulder at me, grinning from ear to ear despite the situation and gave him a dirty look.

**He grabbed the cage and fought his way back through the swarm of dancing students towards the door, near Elphaba. He stopped halfway through and turned to her questioningly. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Well, are you coming?" **_

**She didn't hesitate before hurrying after him and the two slipped out unnoticed, leaving the rest of the room to continue their strange display alone. **

Dr. Dillamound let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you." He said quietly, looking at me and Elphaba over Boq's head. I just nodded simply while I saw Elphaba smile shyly at him through the corner of my eye.

**The image blurred over and cleared again to show Fiyero and Elphaba's running forms hurrying through the poppy fields behind the school back gate, skidding to a halt in a spacious clearing to stop for breathe, enough space between them and the chaos of the class room they'd fled form. **

**(Elphaba): "**_**Be careful, don't shake him!" **_

**(Fiyero): **_**"I'm not!" **_

**He declared indignantly as she scolded him while carefully lifting the cage clear from his grip and setting it down on the ground to check in on the far side of the clearing. He watched her as she fussed over the cub through the bar, still struggling with the latch on the cage door. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"You think I'm really stupid don't you?" **_

**She stopped trying fix the door latch long enough to roll her eyes, without looking round at him. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"No. Not really stupid." **_

"ELPHIE!" An annoyed shriek erupted form Galinda next me while my father burst into laughter from his seat in front on us. "Be nice, he is helping you after all!"

More laughter from the seats ahead of us, my mother's soft chuckling mingling in with my father's hearty snorting. "Don't mind that, have a good go at him I say, it's nice to see that our son CAN'T get away with everything with everyone like he usually thinks he can!"

I felt my own face darkened in embarrassment and I didn't need to look to know Elphaba's was doing the same, from the way she was so strangely quiet for once.

**Fiyero's face morphed briefly into one of anger. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Why is it every time I see you, your always causing some kind of commotion?" **_

**Annoyed, she got to her feet in a flash. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"I don't' cause commotions, I am one!" **_

**Fiyero turned away and muttered under his breath. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"That's for sure!" **_

**He visibly jumped when her eyes lit up with a fierce rage and she marched up to him confidently. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Oh! So you think I should just keep my mouth shut, is that what you're saying?" **_

**(Fiyero): **_**"That's not what I say-" **_

**He quickly realized his mistake and tried to smooth it over but she cut him off before he could say too much. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Do think I want to be this way? Do you think I want to care this much?" **_

**(Fiyero): **_**"**_**Look, all I meant was-" **

**The pair were slowly moving across the clearing as Elphaba took a step forward for every step Fiyero took backwards. **

"Fiyero's getting his ass handed to him by a girl!" A little sing-song voice called form the back row seats.

"X TIGGILAR!" My mother's horrified voice followed immediately after and she reached over my father give to give my brother a light cuff round the ear.

"Watch your language!" I gave him a smirk as he looked round and raised one hand in an offensive gesture when I was sure she wasn't looking.

**(Elphaba): **_**"Do you think I don't know how much easier my life would be if I didn't?" **_

**(Fiyero): **_**"Do you ever let anyone else talk?" **_

**He finally gave up trying to move away and held his hands up in a defensive gesture, catching her but surprise, making her begin to back up slowly a couple of steps instead. **

**(Elphaba): Oh. Sorry." **

**(Fiyero): **_**"I was-" **_

**He began to speak again, only to be cut off once more as she interrupted him quickly. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"But can I just say one more thing?" **_

**He pulled an annoyed face but still motioned for her to carry on. She stepped closer to him again in the clearing center, studying him calmly, just a slight hint of curiosity underlining her gaze. **

Despite myself I felt my breathe catch in my throat at the thought of reliving the moment that had been plaguing me in every spare moment during these past couple of weeks.

**(Elphaba): "**_**You could have walked away back there." **_

**Fiyero gave her a casual shrug, eyeing back equally calmly. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"So?" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"SO?" **_

**She echoed him, her face scrunched up in annoyance. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"No matter how shallow or self-absorbed you pretend to be-" **_

I heard my father snort in agreement and tried not to feel that stab of regret at his obvious disappointment in his eldest son's choices in life.

**(Fiyero): **_**"Excuse me!" **_

**It was him that interrupted her this time. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"There is no pretence here! I happen to be genuinely self-absorbed and deeply shallow." **_

**There was no mocking or distain in her gaze as she looked at him, only a deep a pity, as though she were genuinely sad for him. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"No you're not." **_

**She took another step towards him, stopping a couple of feet short of him. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Or else you wouldn't be so unhappy." **_

The collective silence that hung over the room could have smothered the entire crowd. I could see the surprise and shock register on my parents faces and as one with the rest of the room, they turned to look at me questioningly, as though seeing me for the very first time again, revaluating their opinions of me. Galinda was watching me in confusion, with just a much surprise as everyone else. I held my breath, not daring to look in Elphaba's direction until I could no longer feel eyes burning into me. To my relief, she was not looking at me, focusing anxiously instead on the images been shown to us.

**There was no victory in her voice, only simple truth. A heavy silence hung over the clearing for a moment. Fiyero gaze lost their causal easiness for a brief few seconds and he blinked at her, half in surprise, half in amazement. Then the moment passed and something clicked back into place behind the prince's gaze and the cocky attitude returned. He huffed and turned away from her. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Well fine, if you don't want my help." **_

**He began to walk away, arms held high above his head in a gesture of defeat, but Elphaba reached forward after a split-second pause and made a grab for his hand. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"No! I do!" **_

**She gripped his palm in her own and both of them froze as something strange occurred. There was heavy pause and some invisible force could clearly be sensed flowing through them, a strange sort of light flashed in both their eyes. **

I watched, spell bound as I recalled the funny feeling that occurred, that I remembered so well over the past two weeks. Seeing it from another's perspective like this was something quite different and, dare I say it, educational. I had been too caught up in the overwhelming foreign feeling myself during the moment to notice much else around me, including Elphaba's reaction herself, to the contact. Had she felt it too, that strange connection that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, or was this just a one-sided thing? The one question among many that had been haunting me. I was strangely delighted to see that she'd appeared to have had the same reaction as I risked a glance to my side to see Galinda looking at me strangely, something akin to hurt, confusion or disappointment in eyes and Elphaba looking down at hers, refusing to meet my gaze.

**The spell was broke by the cub's pitiful wailing coming from the cold cage, on the ground by the poppies. Elphaba came to her sense first, letting go of Fiyero's hand and going back to kneel down beside the awful contraption containing the trembling creature. Fiyero stared after her, gaze flicking down to his still open palm, gearing visibly turning in his head. Elphaba finally managed to pry open the stiff latch and reach a hand in to comfort the terrified Animal. **

**(Elphaba); **_**"His heart is pounding. I didn't mean to frighten him." **_

**She sounded genuinely sorry for her actions, unware of Fiyero slowly walking over to crouch down close beside her. He studied her carefully, taking her in as though seeing her for the first time, something unreadable behind his gaze. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Then what did you mean to do. And why was I the only one you didn't do it to." **_

**She looked up at him, noticing for the first time how close he was to her, and fumbled for an answer. Her eyes locked on to something on his face and she was quick to point out the convenient change of subject. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"You're bleeding." **_

**(Fiyero): **_**"I am?" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"It must have scratched you." **_

"Umm, if it had been inside the cage the whole item you were carrying it, wouldn't the scratch be on your hand or something?" Boq's voice cut across, nearly making me jump, not realizing how caught up in this I'd been. Despite the fact that he may have actually had a valid point, I still sent him a look, probably not un-kin to Elphaba's famous glares and he didn't speak again.

**His eyes didn't leave her face, as he blurted out a random reply, struggling slightly. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Yeah. Or maybe it scratched me or something." **_

Multiple snorts of laughter burst from my family and my father glanced up and gave me a sly wink, a knowing twinkle in his eyes. I tried not to flush as I could practically read his thoughts from here. _Real smooth son, real smooth. _

**She reached out a slim hand towards him and delicately touch the small cut along the bottom of his chin. Both jumped at the contact, Fiyero leaping to his feet and grabbing the cage from her somewhat shakily while she pulled her hand back and stumbled unsteadily to her own feet. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Well. I'd better get to safety. I mean the cub!" **_

**He stammered quickly correcting his mistake. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Get the cub to safety." **_

**(Elphaba): "Ah yes, of course." **

**Both stepped apart, suddenly jittery and eager to put some space between themselves. Fiyero made to leave but stopped after a few moments realising he was heading in the wrong direction and hurried back the other way, passing Elphaba, both smiling nervously and disappeared through the red sea of poppies, quickly vanishing from sight. Elphaba fumbled with her hands, suddenly taking a couple of steps in his direction, calling after him as though remembering something. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Fiyero!" **_

**She stared after him, looking torn for some unknown reason. **

I suddenly felt strongly like kicking myself there and then for no obvious reason. I just had the strange feeling loss wash over me, like I missed an opportunity for something but I've on idea what. I wasn't going to continue to insult myself any longer and deny that I'd began to develop strong feelings towards the usual girl, but as of yet I was still unsure exactly how far those feelings went or how deep. I already knew this was unlike anything I'd ever felt before, even towards Galinda, whom I had become more fold of then most of my past girlfriends. I risked a glance at her direction to see her looking up, rather alarmed for some reason that I had no idea of.

"Oh shit!" Her mother gave her a stern glare. "Elphaba! Language!" She buried her face in her palms, trying to hide. "Oh no! Please no, not this!" I tried to catch her eye curious as to what had her so rattled all of a sudden but couldn't get her to look up so settled for glancing back at the picture again.

**Her eyes follow his progress across the field, a strange look on her face. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Hands touch. Eye's meet. Sudden silence. Sudden heat." **_

**She straightened, a clouded look coming over her eyes. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Hearts leap, in a giddy whirl." **_

I felt my eye brows raise of their own accord, a strange feeling rising in my chest. _Is this going where I think it is? _

**(Elphaba): **_**"He could be that boy." **_

**She shook her head suddenly, seemingly coming to her senses and snapped out of her trance. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"But I'm not that girl." **_

"Oh Elphie." I saw Galinda turn her head through the corner of my eye and looked to the side myself, following her gaze to the girl in question. That was no question about it, she was definitely blushing now, her whole face bright tomato red, the colour visible even through her spread hands that hid most of her face from view. _This most certainly IS going where I think it is!_

A few of the nastier students sniggered in their seats and looked round, unpleasant comments' probably at the ready, but stopped dead when they caught my hard stared and quickly closed their mouths, turning back around in their chairs.

**(Elphaba): **_**"Don't dream, too far. Don't lose sight of, who you are." **_

**She began to move out of the poppy field, heading back towards the school taking the short cut back along the canal towards the old metal bridge. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Don't remember that rush of joy. He could be that boy, but I'm not that girl." **_

**She seemed to be remanding herself quietly as she made her way up the treacherous slope. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Every so often we long to steal, to the land of what might have been. But that doesn't soften the ache we feel, when reality sets back in." **_

**Her face took on an almost dreamy look, an odd sight to see on her but no less unsettling than any other girl her age. **

I couldn't help but feel the dull ache that had begun spreading through my chest since that first sentence and all the doubts I'd ever had about my current relationship and even a few I didn't know I had, came flooding back.

**(Elphaba): **_**"Blithe smile. Lithe limb. She who's winsome. She wins him." **_

**She twirled a long, dark lock around a slim finger, absent mindedly as she ducked back into the school gates onto the grounds. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Gold hair, with a gentle curl. That's the girl he chose. And heaven knows. I'm not that girl." **_

_I chose wrong!_ Was the main thought screaming through my head at that present moment. I knew then and there in a heartbeat the first move I would be making once we were released would be to put things right. I'd end things with Galinda, peacefully if I could, I might not love her as, for a few short moments I thought I might have, but I did still care for her, in a friendly sort of way I suppose. _Love. _I no longer doubted that was what these strange feelings were, the only thing they possible could be, to strike so suddenly and feeling so strong. And somehow, I would find a way to convince of her it too.

**The sky's colour faded and changed and it became clear that some time had passed, a few days at the least, and the image found Elphaba making her way back along the short-cut, presumably on the way to class when thunder clouds boomed in the distance, making her stop and look up before seeking shelter beneath the metal stairs case of the rusty, black bridge. Above her the darkened silhouettes of Fiyero and Galinda on the rickety metal path over her head, the smaller figure leaning forward to claim a kiss from the taller, the latter of whom complied almost half-heartedly before the skies opened up and a light drizzle began to fall steadily, making the figures break apart and retreat to seek out shelter. The tall shape of Fiyero hesitated half-way across, looking down as though searching for something. For a moment it seemed that he had spotted her underneath the unsteady structure but apparently not, because he carried on after another pause, obvious, vanishing from sight. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Don't wish. Don't start. Wishing only wounds the heart." **_

**She was hovering under the bridge, waiting for the rain to die down, talking to herself sternly. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"I wasn't born, for the rose and pearl." **_

I felt a frown slip across my face, saddened and ever so slightly angry she truly thought of herself. _That HAS to change! _I made to get up there and then, damn the consequences to go to her, but I stopped instinctively when I felt a small, light, weight leap up onto my lap, seemingly out of nowhere, making me fall back onto the chair. I made to move the object off of me without paying much attention as to what it was that I was actually moving, to focused on my goal, but the sharp sting of needle-like claws digging into my trouser legs brought me back to my senses. Two icy blue eyes blinked up me and after a moment, I felt the claws blissfully retract.

"Not yet!" A fast-becoming familiar voice hissed quietly. "You may go to her and speak what you wish to her later but not right now. Wait until the half-time break."

There was an underling dryness to the Cat's tone. "Talk to her then if you really must, although I would personally recommend speaking to your GIRL-FRIEND first." She spelt the word out like one would when talking to a small child.

"Can I trust you to stay into your seat until the first part is through?" I reluctantly nodded, frustrated but not wanting to annoy our strange host and she purr happily before hoping back down and disappearing just as quickly as she had appeared.

**(Elphaba): **_**"There's a girl I know. He loves her so." **_

**After several minutes, it became clear that the rain was not going to pass anytime soon, so she gave up on waiting for it, and trudged on out, getting quickly soaked in the downpour. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"I'm not, that girl." **_

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Miss Elphaba!" **_

**She stopped as a voice called her namely distantly and lumpy figure of the school's head shiztress came hurrying across the grounds towards her. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Miss Elphaba! I have thrillifying news!" **_

**She finally caught up with her stat student, balancing an umbrella on her misshapen shoulder. **

**(Madam Morrible): "I have finally heard back from the wizard and my dear, he wishes to meet you!" **

There was a rounds of gasps a few people, both students, parents and teacher alike that I could see in the dark threw jealous glances over their shoulders at our private little row. I jumped when I heard a sharp intake of breath to my left and looked round to see Dr. Dillamound himself sitting up straight, rigidly. I thought his behaviour strange. Surely should he not be happy for his favourite student, proud even, that she was finally going to get to tell the wonderful wizard about the Animal's problems like she promised she would? But I didn't pay very much heed to it.

**The effect her news had on the young girl was instantly visible as she took the umbrella from the teacher. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"He asked for me personally!?" **_

**The teacher gave the green girl a wide-tooth smile, sighing. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"I know how devastated you were the other day about poor Dr. Dillamound, but you see my dear, when one door closes." **_

**She held out a posh, shiny, emerald green envelop to the excited student. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Another, opens." **_

**Elphaba looked at the shining ticket in her hands in awe. She threw herself at the teacher and hugged her happily, surprising her. **

I smiled at her open joy and tired not to shudder at the mental image of her hugging that awful old fish, I suppose I had no reason to hate her really. I briefly glimpsed Melena cringing slightly too and guess she must share similar thoughts to my own.

**(Elphaba): **_**"Oh Madam! How can I ever thank you!" **_

**The teacher steadied the umbrella above the girl's head some of the rain began to slip past it. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Oh! Careful my dear! You mustn't get wet! In fact."**_

**She stepped away and raised her arms to the sky, mutter under her breath. The rain came to a sudden halt and the sun leaked through the slowly receding grey clouds. She smirked at the younger woman's astonished expression. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Well didn't I ever tell you? Weather is my specialty. Oz speed my dear!" **_

**She walked back and griped the colourful student's hands, smiling. **

**(Madam Morrible): **_**"Now you're off to meet the wizard, make me proud." **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"I will! I'll try." **_

**She gushed. The teacher nodded and too her leave. Elphaba stood alone staring at the green paper in her hand, whispering to herself. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"And there will finally be, the wizard and I." **_

**The image darkened and began to change again. **

I leant back in my chair, impatience welling up inside me. This had better not take must longer…

**So that's it, might be a bit rushed, you tell me. So who's next then? Better decide quickly. Is it: **

**Galinda? **

**Madam Morrible? **

**Vanessa? **

**Or Sorrow? **

**Here we go, votes will be taken in and counted by tomorrow afternoon latest, so make them count! SS **


	10. One Short Day

**Okay so first off I'd like to thank everyone who replied so quickly and give an especially warm call out to TheChampionOfLight, who gave me my one-hundredth review this morning! I know I promised to have this up on Sunday but my computer had come down with something and crashed and it's taken me nearly two days to get it working again, so sorry! Thank you all so much! The winning POV for this chapter is (Drum-roll) Galinda! Shout-outs to: Hedgehog of Time, luciangirl06, Izzy-Meow, iamgoku, ElphieIsPopular and musicalgryffindor! **

**Chapter Ten – **

**Galinda's POV **

I settled into my seat, thoughts spinning through my head. I suppose I shouldn't really be that surprise to find out that Elphie had a crush on my Fiyero. After all, she is only human, however much she pretends to be above such feelings and he IS the most bestest looking guy in school, that was why I was with him, after all! Although I was a little shocked, I didn't really think she'd be interested in that kinda type, I could easily forgive her for something as simple as a crush, couldn't I? After all, its' not like nearly every other girl in school I know doesn't like him as well! No, for just liking him, I could forgive her, after all she'd already made it clear she knew she'd never actual have a chance with him, and I knew she was too honest to try to be with him while he was with me, so for that, I could forgive her. No, what really worried me was Fiyero's reaction and general attitude himself.

I risked a glance at him and saw he staring straight ahead, arms folded behind his head, looking strangely frustrated and I felt my heart speed up fearfully. I barely noticed the dark shape slip off his lap and vanish into the shadows, more concerned with the frightening thoughts that were revolving around my head. His eyes moved my way and I quickly forced down any negativity from my face, giving him my usual dazzling smile, feeling it strain slightly around the edges and hoped he wouldn't notice.

He smiled very weakly back, eyes flickering over my head to the girl in question next to me, before flickering back to the wall, tiny slimmers of guilt reflecting in his gaze. I fort down the little stab on hurt that tickled my side, sinking further back into my own seat, staring absently mindedly ahead. _He, doesn't actually LIKE her too….does he? _

My gaze flicker's to Elphie herself, who is only just lowering her hands from her face, slowly returning to normal colour. She doesn't look my way, staring doggedly ahead. I sigh, taking a leap out of her book and turn my attention back to the show.

**The image clear again to show Elphaba, dressed in traveling clothes stood beside to gritty white lines on the floor of a train station, marking how far back to wait for the train, summons clutched still in her hands. **

**(Man): **_**"All aboard!" **_

**She looked up sharply, snapping out of her trance and pulled her shoulder bag forward to deposit the sparkling green paper into its front pocket. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"Elphaba!" **_

**The squeak and rattle of metal wheels echoed across the almost empty waiting platform as the younger Thropp sister was wheeled forward by Boq, closely followed by Galinda who clutched Elphaba's small suitcase in hand. They pulled up next to her and Galinda plopped the small case on the ground at the green girl's feet, before straightening gracefully, brushing non-existent dust from her skirt. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"Elphaba we're so proud of you, and I know Father will be too!" **_

Everybody jumped as he man in question snorted out loud. All eyes turned to him, most of them glaring and his face quickly turn to a horridious shade of scarlet. I heard Elphaba herself, snort quietly next to me, and I knew instantly that she was at least feeling better.

**The older sister rolled her eyes very briefly but didn't respond, in too good a mood to come back with one of her usual sarcastic responses. Nessa carried on oblivious. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"We're all so proud, aren't we?" **_

_**She turned to her companions, looking for support. Elphaba leaned down carefully, placing one hand hesitantly over her sister's pale one. **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Will you be alright here without me?" **_

**Galinda stepped forward gingerly, eyeing the dirty floor in contempt.**

I felt my own nose crinkle in disgust.

**(Galinda): **_**"She'll be alright. Bick will keep her company, won't you Bick?" **_

**(Boq): **_**"Its BOQ!" **_

**The Munchkin snapped at her angrily. He paused a moment after, as if realizing what he'd just done. Something seemed to click inside of him because he straightened out as though reaching a decision about something. **

**(Boq): **_**"And I can't do this anymore." **_

**And with that he turned around of took off, hurrying away across the platform and out of sight. Nessa stared, calling after him, hurt in her voice. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"Boq!" **_

**She began to wheel herself after him, stopping for a moment when Galinda called after her. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Nessa, wait, maybe he's just not the right one, for you."**_

**(Nessarose): **_**"NO! He's the one!" **_

**She looked down at her lap, self-loathing written across her face, voice wavering slightly. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"It's me that's not right." **_

There was a collective pause across the room, a few people throwing pitying glances at the girl from their seats, Frex throwing an angry one at her sister. I ignored the small stab of guilt, after all, I did set them up, even if I didn't know how badly she was going to latch on to him at the time.

**She shook her head shamefully and resumed her chase, tossing a fleeting goodbye over her shoulder as she went. **

**(Nessarose): **_**"Don't worry about me Elphaba. Safe journey." **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Nessa wait!" **_

**(Galinda): **_**"Elphie, let her go!" **_

**Elphaba made to go after her, concern dominating her features but was stopped by Galinda grabbing her hand and pulling her back. **

**(Galinda): **_**"She'll just have to manage without you." **_

**Her face took on a mournful look momentarily. **

**(Galinda): **_**"We all we." **_

**Elphaba barely paid her any head, still staring anxiously in the direction her sister and friend had fled, answering her absent mindedly. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Oh you'll barely notice I'm gone, you have Fiyero." **_

**She perked up suddenly, realizing what she's said. **

I felt a slight stab of that hurt feeling again and pushed it down, but despite that I couldn't help but wonder. _Do I really have him? _

**(Elphaba): **_**"Where is he anyway? Not that I'd expected him to say goodbye to me, I mean, we barely know each other." **_

**She tried obviously to sound causal but the slight quiver in her voice, and brightness in her eyes gave her away. Galinda failed to notice, her own falling as her worries bubbled to the surface. **

Any pity I felt for my friend was swept away by embarrassment at my own stupidity. _How could I have not noticed this sooner? _

**(Galinda): **_**"I don't know him ether! Not anymore!" **_

**Her voice rose in pitch as she became more and more distressed. **

**(Galinda): **_**"He's been distant, and moodified. And he's been thinking, which really worries me." **_

There was a ripple of laughter from some of the older generations, including both mine and Fifi's parents, I noticed.

**(Galinda): **_**"It all started that day Dr. Dillamound got fired. I never knew he cared so much about that old goat!" **_

**Elphaba stood quietly to the side, listening without a word, tiny flickers of guilt sparking in her eyes. **

I had a flash back to the conversation we had right before we were brought here, in the library, during which Elphaba had been looking almost exactly the same as she was now, on the wall. And just suddenly it all clicked. The strange looks in their eyes whenever the other was mentioned, Fiyero's distance, Elphaba sudden quietness. It all made sense and the reality of it really hurt.

**Galinda looked up suddenly, spotting something in the distance, perking up immediately. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh look, he did come! Fiyero, over here dearest!" **_

**She waved a dainty hand in the air to attract the attention of the approaching figure that became visible as the image zoomed out, hurrying down the steps connecting to the platform. **

**It narrowed in again on Fiyero as he walked quickly past Galinda, ether ignoring or not noticing how she leaned towards him expectantly, only to deflate as he paid her no heed. **

The painfully tickling feeling only intensified. It all explained so much and yet nothing at all. The man was acting like he was already head-over heels in love with her! But that was impossible! My gaze silent flickered between the two, carefully. _Wasn't it? _

Neither of them had changed positions than the last time I'd looked up at them, still watching the moving pictures intently. _Nobody can fall in love that quickly, after something as simple as just one touch! And yet…._ I hesitated, debating silently with myself. _Just because it seems unlikely, doesn't mean it can't true. Elphie herself taught me that. _

I remembered how Id' felt upon first meeting my boyfriend and thought about how quickly I'd declared to my new friend that we would be married and felt my cheek heat up ever so slightly! _Maybe the idea of love at first such isn't SUCH a foolish one…. _

I chewed my lower lip, thoughtfully, an unlady-like habit that my mother had never been able to rid me of. Though I may not be technically intelligent, not the kind that Elphaba is, although I knew she'd try to tell me otherwise if I ever voiced that opinion, but I DID know certain things. I thought about that moment between the two of them, about that spark that had flashed between them upon the physical contact. I couldn't deny that was what it had been, I saw it with my own eyes and had seen similar, although admittedly not quite as bright moments, between other couple when they'd met for the first time, some of them ones that I'd help to set up myself. In fact had that been any other two people in that image I'd have jumped up and declared them having the strongest case of unresolved sexual and romantic tension that I'd ever seen! But it wasn't any other two people. It was my BEST FRIEND and my BOYFRIEND!

**(Fiyero): **_**"Elphaba!" **_

**He handed her a bouquet of thick, red flowers, seemingly freshly picked. **

_Poppies,_ I noticed longingly, a sinking feeling settling into my stomach. _Like the ones from the fields behind the school. _

**(Fiyero): **_**"I'm happy for you." **_

**Galinda recovered quickly and stepped up beside him, gripping his arm lightly. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Yes, we're both so happy for you." **_

**There was a moment of awkward silence that hung over the trio before Fiyero spoke again, looking uncharacteristically shy. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"So listen, I've been thinking-" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Yes, I've heard!" **_

There were a few sniggers from the adults in the group, particularly loud from Fiyero's father.

**She interrupted him, seemingly out of habit. He very nearly rolled his but settled instead for a slight smirk, eyes gleaming good naturedly. The shyness quickly returned, only slightly less than before and he carried on speaking. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"About that Lion cub, and everything." **_

**He paused, something unreadable glowing in his eyes. **

**(Fiyero):**_** "I think about that day a lot." **_

**Elphaba meets his eye, smiling very slightly, nervous. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"So do I." **_

I felt like my heart was slowly sinking lower and lower through my boy until I was sure that it was about to drop out onto the floor any second now.

**Galinda looked uncertainly between the two, finally picking up on the high running tension in the air. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Me too!" **_

**The other two break out of their trance, and both turn to blink at her dumbly. **

A few people actually GIGGLED from their seats! The deep, more painful hurt that I'd been feeling moments ago became replaced by one of a social embarrassment. I had NEVER been laughed AT before and didn't like the uncomfortable feeling that came with it for someone who was always used to being so high up in the social ladder.

**(Galinda): **_**"Oh I think about it constantly. I mean, poor Dr. Dillamound! It make one want to, take a stand! That's why I've been thinking of…of…."**_

**She fumbled for something to say, visibly straining. Suddenly, inspiration struck. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Changing my name!" **_

**The dumbfounded look on her two companion's faces only increased. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"You're….name?" **_

There was a few confusified murmurs from the general population in the room. I felt a small amount of it myself. I caught the two people in question next me overcome their awkwardness temporality to look at me strangely in unison.

"What?" I shrugged at them. "It's the future, I know about as much as you both do!" they looked away and the awkwardness quickly returned.

**(Galinda): **_**"Yes!" **_

**She visibly became more and more confident as she recovered her sense and took a hold of her idea. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Because Dr. Dillamound always had his own special way of pronouncing my name, I, in solidarity, and to express my…" **_

**She paused for another second, momentarily slipping again. **

**(Galinda): **_**"Outrage! I henceforth shall no longer be known as Gar-linda, but as simply, Glinda!" **_

Understanding dawned on everyone in the room and despite the humorous circumstance, I couldn't help but flash back to the beginning of this funny tale and I felt awful ominous chill shudder down my spine.

**The two stood beside exchanged looks that said it all. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"That's very, err, admirable, Glinda." **_

**Fiyero stepped forward for a moment, attempting to look at her but his gaze still drifting to the colourful girl behind him. The blond girl giggled, happily. **

**(Glinda): **_**"Fiyero!" **_

**Fiyero gave up trying to keep his eyes on her and looked properly at the green girl beside her. **

**(Fiyero): **_**"Elphaba! Good luck!" **_

**He tossed the last word over his shoulder as had already turned and was hurrying back up the steps, out of the station. **

A loud cough of "Coward" came from somewhere among the rows in front of us but it was impossible to tell its exact source in the dark. Another little jolt of pain went through as I heard it and realized its implications and through the corner of my eye I glimpsed Fiyero's face reddening ever so slightly and a slight tremble of his bottom lip betrayed his struggle to keep his face neutral.

**The moment he disappeared from view, Glinda's face dropped its cheerful mask and distress took over her delicate features. She turned to her friend, distraught and waved a hand, failingly after him. **

**(Glinda): **_**"You see!" **_

**She practically lunched herself at the green girl, burring her face into her shoulder, crying dramatically. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Don't cry Galinda!" **_

**(Glinda): **_**"IT'S GLINDA NOW!" **_

**The shorter woman snapped, nearly shouting, and pulled away to drab her eyes with a tissue. **

**(Glinda): **_**"It was such a stupid idea, I don't even know what made me say it!" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"It doesn't matter what your name is, everyone loves you!" **_

**Elphaba tried to console her friend, placing one hand of her thin shoulder awkwardly, obviously having no idea how to actually do so. **

**(Glinda): **_**"I don't care, I want him!" **_

**She pointed in the direction he vanished to. **

**(Glinda): **_**I don't even think he's perfect anymore and I still want him!" **_

"Should I be insulted or flattered?"

Fiyero raised an eyebrow at me humorously. It was the most friendly he'd been with me in weeks. Normally, or even just this morning, I'd have melted and giggled at his wit, overjoyed that he was talking to me again, but now that I knew the reason for his distance, I settled on simply giving him the cold shoulder, keeping my attention focus on the image until I felt him give up staring at me and do the same.

**She gasped as a sudden thought occurred to her. **

**(Glinda): **_**"This must be what normal people feel like! Oh how do they bare it?" **_

There were a few more snorts of laughter form the same group pf people as before and I felt the same rush of heat flow to my face as I saw Popsicle cover his face with his hands shaking his slowly while momsie blinked blankly beside him, not seeing the humour in the situation.

**She turned back to her friend, crying, who braced her this time with a small smile on her face, shaking her head ever so slightly in amusement. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"Come with me. To the Emerald city…." **_

**She loosened her hug on the crying girl who blinked up at her dumbly. **

**(Glinda): "**_**Where?" **_

**Voices echoed around the empty station, despite there being no one else in sight. **

**(Tourists): **_**"One short day, in the Emerald city." **_

A few people stirred, whispering confusifingly among themselves.

"Who's saying that?" The question slipped past my lip's before I could stop myself. I got no answer and a quick glance around told me everyone else was just as clueless as I, expect for Melena who just smiled mysteriously.

**(Glinda): **_**"Oh, I've always wanted to see the Emerald city." **_

The blond girl perked up immediately as she began dabbing at her eyes again with her tissue.

**(Tourists): **_**"One short day, in the Emerald city." **_

**The taller girl held her hand out for the other one to take, which she did eagerly before pulling her towards the awaiting train as it screeched into the station and the two clambered aboard, vanishing from sight. **

**The image changed again in a dark, cloudy haze that momentarily covered the wall. When it cleared again, it showed another trained station, this one painted from floor to ceiling and everything in between in a vibrant emerald tone and a bustle of people dressed form head to toe in strange, extravagant clothing of similar shades hurried through the space inside. **

I recognised the style of clothing with a jolt, as the same those people in the beginning had all had on, with I suppose really made sense if future us was heading to the same place and where that had been. The brief sickening feeling I'd had before came back to haunt me for a second before my excitement pushed it back down. What future-me had said was true. _I HAVE always wanted to see the Emerald city. _

**The two excited girls climbed off the rickety train as it pulled into the station, now dressed in day and began to make their way through the crowd out into the dazzling city beyond it. **

**(Tourists): **_**"One short day, in the Emerald city, one short day, full of so much to do. Every way, that you look the city, there's something exquisite, you'll want to visit, before the days through." **_

**They stepped through the jade-coloured streets, heads tilling back, eyes sparkling in wonder as they took it all in. **

The students in the front and middle rows gasped and began to whisper to one another excitedly as they took in the sight of the famous city, most of them seeing it clearly and in great detail for the first time.

**(Elphaba): **_**"There are buildings tall as Quoxwood trees." **_

**(Glinda): **_**"Dress salons." **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Libraries!" **_

**(Glinda): "Palaces!" **

**(Both): **_**"A hundred strong!"**_

**The two were visibly giddy with excitement, matching grins splitting their faces and just for that one moment, despite their obvious differences, they had actually never looked so much the same. **

Despite myself, I could feel a grin slowly creeping across the face of my own present self and when I turned to look at Elphie I saw that she was wearing one of her own, the same, sitting up in her seat, previous embarrassment forgotten.

**(Both): **_**"There are wonder like I've never seen!" **_

**(Glinda): **_**"It's all grand!" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"And it's all green!" **_

**Glinda spun around, taking in all the glamorous buildings while Elphaba just started at the whole street in general, both still wearing goofy, astonished expressions. **

**(Both): **_**"I think we've found the place where we belong!" **_

**They swapped beaming smiles before hurrying along further down the streets, stopping at one point in the city's center to spin slowly, staring at the gem coloured walls as they lit up with the afternoon's sun. **

Nearly the whole room "Oohed" and "Ahhed" at the sight, myself and Elphie beside me along with them.

**(Both): **_**"I wanna be in this hol-pollo!" **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"So I'll be back for good someday!" **_

**The green girl, who looked so much at home among the sparkling city, her own vibrant skin nearly blending in with everything around her stepped forward confidently. **

**(Glinda): **_**"To make my life and make my way!" **_

**Glinda stepped forward to stand beside her, the two of them swapping beaming grins. **

**(Both): **_**"But for today. We'll wander and enjoy!" **_

**They leapt forward together and continued to scurry through the glittering blocks of streets, mingling with the rest of the crowd, not a single person sparing them a glance as they danced and spun on their way around, some twirling green banner and ribbons in their hands. **

**(All): **_**"One short day, in the Emerald city. One short day, to have a life-time of fun! One short day-" **_

**They halted at the top of the main road, leading down to the Emerald palace and looked up at the magnificent castle, faces matching pictures of determination and confidence. **

**(Both): **_**"And we're warning the city. Now that we're in here, you'll know we've been here, before we are done!" **_

I felt a strong, warm feeling settle in my stomach. _This was how it should be, just the two of us, me and my friend up against the world, ready to take it all! To make our dreams come true! This was how it should be! And this is how it WOULD be! _I kept repeating it to myself almost manically, desperately trying to forget that I already knew.

**Glinda gasped as she stretched out a hand towards to sky, as if to try and touch the tip of the tall building opposite them. **

**(Glinda): **_**"Oh the hustle and bustle! It's all so, Ozmapolition!" **_

**She looked down at a small piece of paper in her hand, passed to her by one of the other citizens handing them out as they'd passed him. **

**(Glinda): **_**"Elphie! Come on! We'll be late for Wizamainia!" **_

**She waved to the green girl who had her back to her, looking around blissfully, to ty and gain her attention. When finally noticed she just smiled at her friend sweetly. **

A few people on the rows that were visible to me in the dark shared confusified glances. I'm no mind reader but even I could hear their thoughts from hear and was having similar ones of my own. _Since when does Elphie, look sweet? _

**(Elphaba): **_**"I want to remember this moment. Nobody's staring. Nobody's pointing." **_

**Her face softened into a vulnerable happy expression. **

**(Elphaba): **_**"For the first time, I'm somewhere where I belong." **_

And just like that it all made sense. I knew better than anyone how much other people torment actually bothered her, despite how well she hid it. I could see it slowly dawning it everyone else minds as they silently watched the rest of the conversation play out.

**The blond girl stepped forward, taking her friend's hand gentle, her own features softening, a shy smile stealing across her plump, pink lips. **

**(Glinda): **_**"You look positively, emerald!" **_

**The two girls looked each other in the eye and broke down into giggles at the joke. They skipped ahead to stand beside of crowd of people hovering around an open stage where performers in large wizard puppets-suits bobbed up and down, twirling skilfully around each other. **

**(Performers): **_**"Who's the mage, whose major, intinerary, making all Oz merrier. Who's the sage, who sagely, sailed in to save, our posteriers?" **_

**The heads of the Wizards popped up off of their shoulder and rocked from side to side and the dancers inside moved. **

There was several bouts of laughter from inside the room. _Theatre? It is kinda like a theatre in here actually! That's what this place must actually be, a theatre! _

**(Performers): **_**"Whose enthuse, for hot air ballooning, has all of Oz, honeymooning?" **_

**A low hummer echoed from inside the puppets and carried across the street. **

**(Performers): **_**"Woo-oo-oo!" **_

**They bobbed back up again, somehow not falling over in their top heavy costumes. **

**(Performers): **_**"Isn't he wonderful? Our wonderful wizard!" **_

**The girls pulled away from the entertainment and contained wandering slowly up the street path that would take them to their destination. **

**(Both): **_**"One short day, in the Emerald city." **_

**The voices of the performers echoed after them, mingled with their own excited murmurs. **

**(Performers): **_**"Who's the mage, who's major, intinerary, making all Oz merrier? Who's the sage, who sagely, sailed in to save, our posteriers?"**_

**(Both): **_**One short day, to have a lifetime of fun." **_

**The two friends walked towards the shinning gate, the guards standing stiffly in their uniform next to it but smiled at them as they came close and approached slowly the crowd bustling behind them. **

**(All): **_**"What a way, to be seeing the city!" **_

I saw twisted in the seat and met Elphie's shining gaze, our collective delight reflected back at me.

**(Both): **_**"Where so many roam to." **_

**Both young woman turned to each other, matching grins nearly splitting their faces in half. **

**(Both): **_**"We'll call it home to." **_

**Blue and brown eyes shinned like those of child on their birthday. **

**(Both): "**_**And then just like now, we can say. We're just two friends." **_

**(Elphaba): **_**"Two good friends." **_

**The usually prickly green girl gave the popular blond a tender look, seemingly bursting with happiness. The smaller woman returned her sentiment, taking her colourful hand in her own. **

**(Glinda): **_**"Two best friends." **_

I reached own hand across the arm rest dividing us and gripped Elphie's hand, making her look up at me and smile. I barely noticed Fiyero see the contact out of the corner of my eye and didn't bother looking round to see his opinion. We would talk when this is over and he will decide what he wants to do, but whatever the outcome, it doesn't matter, not for this one moment.

**(Both): **_**"Sharing one wonderful, one, short…." **_

**The guard came out from behind the gates and stood between, breaking the contact. **

**(Guard): **_**"The wizard will see you now." **_

**He took one of each girl's hands in his own gloved ones and spun them around on the spot. **

**(All): **_**"Day!" **_

**Everyone raised their arms joyfully to the sky, the tow bold young woman standing front and center faces full of hope. The crowd began to disperse and the two girls quickly followed the guard into through the Emerald gates into the palace, before the image darkened once again and been to rearrange itself. **

A round of chatter broke out from all rows in the theatre and people gossiped among themselves, the majority throwing jealous glances in our direction. I beamed my bestest smile at them and raised my head superiorly, lapping up the attention. Swapping one more shy smile with Elphie, I gave her hand a comforting squeeze, letting her know that it was all alright.

A tiny moments around the floor by our feet caught our attention and barely held back a squeak of surprise when a small black shape leapt up onto Melena's lap, making even Elphie jump. The little black Cat looked around almost suspiciously before she spoke quietly to the woman who's knees she was perched on, so low even I could only just about make out what she was saying.

"I think now might be a very good time for me to nip next door and wake my friends up. This next scene is pretty much when the shit hits the fan!" I tried not to curl my nose up at her foul use of langue. "We're probably gonna need a few extra pairs of hands to keep these guys from going nuts. Will you be alright to keep the peace for a few minutes while I'm gone?"

I realized the question was directed at Melena. _Was she always in on this as well? _Elphie's mother nodded carefully and the Lithe Animal jumped down effortlessly from her lap and scurried off somewhere further in the theatre. The thought only just occurred to me that this now meant we were in fact alone now in this strange theatre, despite what our host said about always being present the same moment Melena happened to look up and notice us both watching the exchange. She raised one slim finger to her delicate lips before either of us could speak a word and slowly shook her head very suitable manner, taking obvious care that on one else would notice her doing so. Even I understood the message and nodded, keeping my mouth closed and turning back to the wall as the image began to clear again….

**Well there was it, the voting options for the next chapter are: **

**Melena **

**The Wizard (Oscar) **

**Madam Morrible **

**Or Sorrow **

**This next one might take me a little bit longer than my usual week to do as I am planning a HIUGE reaction when, as I so aptly put earlier, "the shit hits the fan" so in advance, sorry for the delay. I also have something else to ask any of you loyal fans. I'm going to need some help keeping everyone under control in a minute so if anyone wants to lend me a hand for the new few chapters, I'd be glad for the extra muscle! If you want to message me your character details, personalities, physical appearance, powers/abilities, ect, I'll write you in! Thanks in advance! SS **


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